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STATUE  OF 

ZEBULON  BAIRD  VANCE 

ERECTED  IN  STATUARY  HALL  OF 
THE  UNITED  STATES  CAPITOL  BY 
THE  STATE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  STATUARY  HALL  AND 
IN  THE  SENATE  AND  HOUSE  OF  REPRE- 
SENTATIVES OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
UPON  THE  UNVEILING,  PRESENTATION, 
AND  ACCEPTANCE  OF  THE  STATUE  OF 
ZEBULON  BAIRD  VANCE  FROM  THE 
STATE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 


0Urtjj-3Faurtlj  (Bottgrtaa 


Compiled  under  the  direction  of  ihe 
Joint  Committee  oo  PriotiDg 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1917 


AUTHORITY  TO  PRINT 

SENATE  CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION  25,  SIXTY-FOURTH  CONGRESS 

Passed  the  Senate  June  22,  1916;  House  July  29,  1916 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  (the  House  of  Representatives  concurring),  That  there 
be  printed  and  bound,  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Print- 
ing, the  proceedings  in  Congress,  together  with  the  proceedings  at  the 
tmveiling  in  Statuary  Hall,  upon  the  acceptance  of  the  statue  of  ZEBtJLON 
Baird  Vance  presented  by  the  State  of  Nortli  Carolina,  sixteen  thousand 
five  hundred  copies,  with  suitable  illustration,  of  which  five  tliousand  shall 
be  for  the  use  of  the  Senate  and  ten  thousand  for  the  use  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  the  remaining  one  thousand  five  hundred  copies  shall 
be  for  the  use  and  distribution  of  the  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress from  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 


CONTENTS 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  STATUARY  HALL 

Page 

Prayer  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Joseph  Bw)unt  Cheshire,  Bishop  op 
THE  Protestant  Episcopal  Diocese  of  North  Carolina 7 

Address  by  Hon.  William  Alexander  Hoke,  Chairman  of  the 
Vance  Statue  Commission o 

UNVEttiNG  OF  the  Statue  by  Miss  Dorothy  Espey  Pillow, 
Great  Granddaughter  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 10 

Presentation  op  the  Statue  for  the  Commission  and  Address 
BY  Hon.  Clement  Manly,  Member  op  the  Vance  Statue  Com- 
mission         J  J 

Presentation  op  the  Statue  for  the  State  and  Address  by 
Hon.  Locke  Craig,  Governor  op  North  Carolina 15 

Acceptance  of  the  Statue  on  Behalf  op  the  Government  and 
Address  by  Hon.  Thomas  R.  Marshall,  Vice  President  of 
the  United  States 27 

Decoration  op  Statue 2a 

PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  SENATE 
Addresses  by — 

Mr.  Lee  S.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina 36 

Mr.  Henry  Cabot  Lodge,  of  Massachusetts 47 

Mr.  Hoke  Smith,  of  Georgia m 

PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  HOUSE 

Prayer  by  Rev.  Henry  N.  Couden,  D.  D 54 

Addresses  by — 

Mr.  John  H.  Small,  of  North  Carolina 56 

Mr.  George  E.  Hood,  of  North  Carolina 60 

Mr.  Edward  W.  Pou,  of  North  Carolina 64 

Mr.  Charles  M.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina 66 

Mr.  James  J.  Britt,  of  North  Carolina 79 

Mr.  Robert  L.  Doughton,  of  North  Carolina 83 

Mr.  Edwin  V.  Webb,  op  North  Carolina 88 

Mr.  Hannibal  L.  Godwin,  op  North  Carolina 93 

Mr.  Claude  Kitchin,  of  North  Carolina 94 

3 


THE  SCULPTOR 

GUTZON  BORGLUM 

Bom  in  Idaho,  March  25,  1867;  son  of  Dr.  James  de  la 
Mothe  Borglum  and  Ida  (Michelson)  Borglum.  Educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  Fremont  and  Omaha,  Nebr.,  and 
at  St.  Mary's  College,  Kans.  Studied  art  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  went  to  Paris  in  1890,  working  and  studying 
in  Academic  Julien  and  Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts.  Exhibited 
as  painter  and  sculptor  in  Paris  Salon,  in  Spain  in  1892, 
and  in  CaUfomia  in  1893-94;  returned  East  and  went  to 
London  in  1896,  remaining  there  and  in  Paris  until  1901. 
Has  been  in  New  York  City  since  1902.  Exhibited  in 
Paris  in  1896  and  1901;  held  successful  "one-man"  ex- 
hibit in  London;  received  gold  medal  for  sculpture  at 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition.  Was  sculptor  for  work 
on  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine,  New  York;  Sheridan 
Equestrian  Monument  in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  colossal 
marble  head  of  Lincoln  and  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird 
Vance  in  the  Capitol  Building;  figure  of  America  on  Amer- 
ican RepubUcs  Building;  Mares  of  Diomedes  (bronze), 
Metropolitan  Museum,  New  York;  The  Atlas  (marble), 
New  York,  etc.  Member  Royal  Society  of  British  Artists, 
Society  National  des  Beaux  Arts,  and  Architectural 
League.  Clubs:  Metropolitan  (Washington,  D.  C),  Play- 
ers, Camp  Fire,  Lotos,  Fencers,  City,  and  Balsam  Lake 
Club,  New  York. 


UNVEILING  AND 

PRESENTATION 


STATUARY  HALL 
JUNE    22,    1916 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  STATUARY  HALL 

PRAYER, 

By  the  Right  Rev.  Joseph  Blount  Cheshire,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese 
of  North  Carolina 

O  God,  our  Maker,  our  Father,  by  whose  divine  provi- 
dence all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  are  governed  and  pre- 
served. Whose  loving  kindness  is  over  all  Thy  works;  be 
with  us  as  we  are  here  assembled  in  Thy  presence;  enable 
us  to  feel  in  our  hearts  the  divine  presence  and  power  which 
we  acknowledge  with  our  lips,  and  make  our  lives  to  praise 
Thee  by  obedience  to  Thy  laws  and  loyal  and  loving  service 
to  our  country  and  to  our  fellows. 

We  thank  Thee  for  the  many  blessings  which  we  have  of 
Thy  hand;  for  the  peace  and  plenty  which  we  enjoy;  for  the 
harmony  and  good  will  which  prevail  among  our  people. 
Make  us  to  be  of  one  mind  in  all  things  essential,  and  put 
far  from  us  strife  and  discord,  injustice,  and  cruelty. 

We  bless  Thy  holy  name  for  Thy  goodness  to  us  in  all 
our  past  history;  for  the  unity  and  brotherly  love  which  have 
grown  out  of  our  national  experiences.  Thou  hast  over- 
ruled the  wrath  of  man  to  Thy  praise,  and  brought  u^  to 
Godly  union  and  concord. 

Thou,  O  Lord,  art  set  on  a  throne  that  judgest  right,  and 
Thou  dost  sustain  with  Thy  free  spirit  all  who  rule  in  truth 
and  righteousness.  We  invoke  the  abundance  of  Thy  grace 
and  favor  upon  our  country,  our  President,  our  Congress, 
our  States,  and  our  governors,  that  as  a  Nation  we  may 
know  what  things  we  ought  to  do  and  that  we  may  have 
strength  and  power  faithfully  to  perform  the  same. 

We  give  Thee  high  praise  and  hearty  thanks  for  the  good 
examples  of  all  those  who  in  the  past  history  of  our  country 
have  acted  well  their  parts  in  the  strifes  and  contentions  out 
of  which  Thou  has  brought  us  to  unity  and  strength.  And 
especially  at  this  time  we  thank  Thee  for  the  life  and  labors, 
for  tlie  faithfulness  and  courage,  for  the  great  heart  and  the 

7 


8  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

strong  hand  of  Thy  servant,  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  whose 
memory  we  are  here  met  to  honor,  and  whose  statue  we  now 
place  among  those  of  other  great  men  of  our  country.  May 
we  ever  cherish  their  memory,  emulate  their  virtues,  and 
preserve  in  honor,  safety,  and  peace  the  country  in  whose 
service  they  lived  and  died. 

We  ask  all  for  His  sake,  and  in  His  name,  who  taught  tis 
that  when  we  pray  we  should  say: 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name. 
Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive 
us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against 
us.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation;  but  deliver  us  from 
evil:  For  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the 
glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


ADDRESS  BY  HON.  WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  HOKE,  CHAIR- 
MAN OF  THE  VANCE  STATUE  COMMISSION 

Friends  and  Fellow  Citizens  :  Under  a  joint  resolution 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  and  by  ap- 
pointment of  Gov.  lyocke  Craig,  a  commission,  composed 
of  Mrs.  M.  V.  Moore,  Miss  Laura  L.  Carter,  Mr.  Clement 
Manly,  Mr.  John  H.  Martin,  and  the  speaker  have  been 
for  some  time  past  engaged  in  procuring  a  statue  of  the 
late  Senator  Zebulon  Baird  Vance.  Having  given  the 
matter  our  best  consideration,  the  committee  were  fortu- 
nate in  selecting  and  securing  the  services  of  the  eminent 
sculptor,  Gutzon  Borglum,  and  he  has  produced  a  statue 
that  is  at  once  an  impressive  likeness  and  a  work  of  great 
artistic  merit.  We  are  met  to-day  to  unveil  the  statue 
and  present  it  to  the  American  people  and  its  honored 
and  accredited  representatives. 

The  task  has  been  throughout  and  to  each  and  every 
member  of  the  committee  a  most  grateful  undertaking  for, 
in  common  with  all  the  people  of  North  Carolina  regardless 
of  party  or  race,  they  rejoice  to  have  this  man  stand  for 
them  before  the  American  people  as  their  representative 
in  what  is  broad-minded  and  patriotic,  courageous, 
steadfast  and  true. 

As  the  man  amongst  us  who  preeminently  fills  the  re- 
quirement of  the  act  of  Congress  dedicating  this  Hall  to 
the  good  and  great  men  of  the  Nation  ...  an  illustrious 
citizen,  distinguished  for  civic  and  miUtary  virtues.  He 
was  indeed,  my  covmtrymen,  a  great  leader  of  his  people 
in  war  and  peace;  great  in  intellect,  great  in  character 
and  achievement,  great  in  the  breadth  and  quahty  of  his 
sympathy.  His  people  followed  him  with  unfaltering 
trust  for  more  than  30  of  the  most  eventful  years  of 
their  history  and  were  not  disappointed.  They  admired 
and  loved  the  man  for  his  integrity  and  his  courage,  for 

9 


to  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

his  wisdom  and  strength,  his  genius,  his  matchless  elo- 
quence and  far-seeing  vision,  for  his  loyal-hearted,  un- 
changing devotion  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances 
to  their  best  interest  as  he  was  given  light  to  see  it.  His 
hold  upon  the  affections  of  the  people  of  North  Carolina 
endures  and  grows  stronger  with  time  and  we  are  deeply- 
gratified  to  have  you  with  us  here  to-day  in  paying  this 
tribute  to  his  memory. 


The  statue  was  then  unveiled  by  Miss  Dorothy  Espey 
Pillow,  aged  6,  a  great-granddaughter  of  Senator  Vance, 
and  presented  for  the  commission  by  the  Hon.  Clement 
Manly,  of  North  Carohna,  who  had  been  throughout  a 
most  efficient  and  deeply  interested  member  of  the 
commission. 


ADDRESS  OF  HON.  CLEMENT  MANLY 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  :  The  honor  of  making  an  ad- 
dress on  this  great  son  of  North  Carolina,  whose  memory 
we  reverence  to-day,  is  not  delegated  to  me,  but  to 
another,  fitted  to  the  task,  our  governor.  I  shall  not 
trespass  on  the  hour  further  than  to  do  as  I  am  bidden: 
present  to  Gov.  Craig,  on  behalf  of  the  commission,  the 
statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  and  with  it  a  brief 
account  of  our  stewardship. 

On  receipt  of  the  commission  from  your  excellency, 
those  honored  with  your  confidence  met  in  Raleigh  on 
the  26th  day  of  October,  19 14,  effected  an  organization 
by  the  election  of  Hon.  W.  A.  Hoke,  chairman,  and  Mrs. 
M.  Van  Lear  Moore,  secretary. 

For  the  purpose  in  hand,  each  member  gave  individual 
effort  by  correspondence  and  investigation  to  the  selection 
of  the  artist.  The  commission  met  in  Washington  on  the 
22d  day  of  November  of  the  same  year,  for  comparison 
of  data,  and  through  the  invitation  of  our  chairman  had 
in  conference  several  well-known  sculptors  of  this  country, 
with  specimens  of  their  work.  At  this  meeting  nothing 
definite  was  determined,  and  fmther  effort  and  inquiries 
were  made,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  looking  to  the  selec- 
tion of  a  suitable  artist.  The  distracted  state  of  Europe, 
then  daily  extending  its  influence  of  dismay,  made  it 
apparent  we  could  not  with  safety  rely  on  the  older  world, 
and  obliged  us  to  confine  our  selection  to  America. 

Earnest  consideration  was  given  the  matter  of  selection 
by  each  member  of  the  commission,  resulting  in  many 
varying  views,  until  finally  we  were  led  by  the  kindly  hand 
of  Miss  Laura  Carter  to  the  unanimous  selection  of  Mr. 
Gutzon  Borglum,  an  artist  whose  work  stands  in  favor 
throughout  the  country  and  exhibited  in  majestic  form 
in  this  very  Capitol. 

After  a  visit  by  the  committee  to  the  Borglum  studio  in 
New  York,  and  on  examination  of  his  work  and  conference 


1 2  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

with  the  sculptor,  a  contract  was  prepared  on  the  8th  of 
January,  1915,  and  entered  into  between  the  State  of 
North  Carolina  and  Mr.  Gutzon  Borglum  for  the  exe- 
cution of  the  statue  of  Vance. 

With  the  selection  of  the  artist  oiu-  work  would  seem 
to  have  been  in  great  measure  accomplished.  But  Mr. 
Borglum  was  a  stranger  to  Gov.  Vance,  and  it  became 
incumbent  on  the  committee,  by  every  available  means, 
to  furnish  the  artist  with  information  and  knowledge  of 
the  subject.  Photographs,  biographies,  and  personal  rec- 
ollections of  those  who  knew  Vance,  a  review  of  his  writ- 
ings and  speeches,  all  were  collected  and  submitted.  A 
small  model  embodying  the  general  idea  of  the  artist  was 
made  and  carried  to  Asheville  for  inspection  of  his  family 
and  friends,  from  this  a  plaster  figiue  of  full  size  was  pre- 
pared and  exhibited,  and  by  frequent  conference  and 
criticism  of  the  work  as  it  progressed  the  commission 
sought  to  aid  the  artist  in  the  character  and  portraition 
of  the  statue.  In  this  vital  part  of  our  work  we  feel  much 
indebted  to  Mr.  Silas  McBee,  of  New  York,  Mr.  Peter'  M. 
Wilson,  of  this  city,  and  Mr.  W.  W.  Fuller,  of  New  York, 
gentlemen  of  intimate  acquaintance  with  and  knowledge 
of  Gov.  Vance;  and  while  the  work  was  in  progress  Mr. 
McBee,  with  generous  love  of  his  native  State,  gave  much 
of  his  time  in  frequent  visits  to  the  studio  and  in  confer- 
ence with  Mr.  Borglum. 

It  was  at  this  stage,  that  the  committee  first  seriously 
considered  the  character  of  statue — whether  it  should  be 
of  marble  or  bronze.  The  original  legislative  act  provided 
for  marble,  but  the  general  assembly  being  in  session,  our 
chairman  procured  an  amendatory  act,  striking  out  the 
word  "marble."  Thus,  luifettered,  the  committee  har- 
moniously followed  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Borglum  to  cast 
the  noble  and  rugged  features  of  the  man  in  bronze. 

The  acts  of  the  commission  in  detail  appear  in  the  min- 
utes of  the  secretary,  Mrs.  Moore,  to  whom  we  feel  in- 
debted for  an  accurate  record. 

Under  rules  governing  this  National  Hall  of  Fame, 
each  State  has  the  privilege  of  placing  here  statues  of  two 


Address  of  Hon.  Clement  Manly  13 

of  its  citizens.  A  glance  about  us  shows  that  this  right 
has  been  exercised  by  our  sister  States,  nearly  all  having 
the  complement  of  the  number  accorded  them.  Yet, 
until  this  good  hour.  North  Carolina,  one  of  the  original 
thirteen  States,  and  rich  in  its  treasures,  has  not  seen  fit 
to  exercise  this  sacred  privilege.  In  this,  as  in  all  its 
unheralded  achievement,  the  State  has  shown  one  con- 
trolling characteristic — that  of,  slow  to  action.  Serene 
and  self-contained  in  its  consciousness  of  power,  and  in 
the  doing  of  duty,  North  Carolina  has  always  thought  it 
well  to  make  the  story  rather  than  to  tell  it,  and  so, 
esse  quam  videri. 

In  1907  North  CaroUna  took  steps  to  carry  out  this 
pious  duty.  The  general  assembly  of  that  year  authorized 
the  governor  to  appoint  a  commission  with  authority  to 
provide  a  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance.  In  a  State 
rich  in  patriotic  story  and  in  the  annals  of  her  great  men 
and  women,  those  whose  children's  children  are  now  a  part 
of  us,  and  who  honor  the  ever  living  memory  of  their  for- 
bears, it  was  indeed  difficult  to  make  distinction,  and,  as 
might  be  expected,  there  was  some  hesitation  in  the  selec- 
tion of  the  two  men  to  be  thus  preferred,  but  as  to  one 
there  was  no  doubt.     It  was  one  voice  that  named  Vance. 

In  all  our  history  and  goodly  traditions  of  men  whose 
character  and  deeds  had  made  them  great  and  loved  of  the 
people,  popular  and  universal  favor  had  set  its  seal  on 
him.     The  heart  of  the  living  age  beat  for  Vance. 

It  can  with  truth  be  said  of  this  man  that  he  was  of  the 
people,  without  regard  to  race,  condition  or  creed,  the 
rich  and  the  poor,  the  wise  and  the  simple,  and  as  to  them 
he  knew  no  class  and  no  distinction.  Through  an  eventful 
Ufe  he  held  places  of  honor — colonel  of  a  regiment,  gov- 
ernor of  a  State,  Senator  of  the  United  States,  positions 
at  least  suggesting  title,  but  none  fixed  itself  on  him. 
To  all  he  was  Vance. 

The  commission,  perhaps  in  the  pride  of  its  accomplish- 
ment, dares  feel  it  brings  to  you  a  great  statue,  worthy  of 
the  subject,  worthy  of  the  people  who  now  present  it,  and 


14  Statue  of  Zehtdan  Baird  Vance 

fit  to  stand  with  these  glories  of  the  Republic.  The  act 
of  the  legislature  providing  for  it  was  adopted  in  the  spirit 
of  the  State.  However  slow  it  may  have  been  in  recogni- 
tion of  its  right  to  representation  in  this  hall,  yet,  when  it 
had  determined  to  exercise  this  right,  its  choice  made  to 
place  here  a  statue  of  Vance,  it  was  generous  in  its 
botmty,  and  the  cost  of  the  work  left  to  the  commission, 
and,  like  the  love  the  State  bore  to  its  great  citizen,  was 
without  limit.  In  fixing  the  compensation  of  the  artist 
there  was  no  trade,  and  a  sum  agreed  on  well  within  the 
expectation  of  the  governor  and  coimcil  of  State;  yet 
with  earnest  anticipation  we  feel  that  the  State  has  re- 
ceived a  return  of  value  more  than  money,  or  more  than 
money's  worth;  it  has  gotten  the  creation  of  a  thought,  of 
a  part  of  a  great  artist,  the  thing  which  money  can  not  buy, 
and  which  is  the  divine  gift  which  genius  contributes  to 
its  art. 

Vance  was  a  soldier  and  a  citizen.  His  military  service, 
though  alike  honorable  and  faithful,  was  not  long,  but  cut 
short  by  a  call  to  take  the  helm  and  guide  the  State 
through  troublous  waters.  The  work  that  took  his  best 
was  in  the  civil  walk,  the  friend  and  cotmselor  of  the  people, 
and  with  this  service  came  his  fame,  ripening  with  all  the 
honors  of  the  statesman.  So  the  artist,  in  his  creation, 
presents  the  man  in  his  full  life,  soldier  and  citizen.  The 
military  cloak  is  falling  from  his  shoulders,  and  he  stands 
forth  in  the  dress  of  the  citizen,  in  the  attitude  of  the 
orator  in  action,  speaking  to  the  people,  and  appearing  in 
the  form  they  knew  and  loved. 

Macaulay  said  of  De  Vere,  the  twentieth  Earl  of  Oxford: 
"  Englishmen  loved  to  call  him  the  noblest  subject  of 
Europe."  May  I  paraphrase  this  to  say:  "Vance,  the 
noblest  citizen  of  the  State." 


The  presentation  for  the  State  was  then  made  by  Gov. 
Locke  Craig. 


ADDRESS  OF  HON.  LOCKE  CRAIG 

Mr.  Chairman  :  You  and  each  member  of  your  com- 
mission are  entitled  to  the  grateful  appreciation  of  the 
State.  You  were  appointed  by  the  governor  and  council 
of  state  under  a  resolution  of  the  general  assembly  au- 
thorizing the  placing  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird 
Vance  in  this  hall.  You  have  done  your  work  without 
compensation,  but  with  a  zeal  which  no  money  could  buy. 
You  secured  one  of  the  most  eminent  artists  of  the  age, 
and  have  delivered  a  magnificent  statue  that  excites  the 
enthusiastic  admiration  of  all  that  have  seen  it.  It 
speaks  the  force  and  the  character  of  our  greatest  man. 

I  should  acknowledge,  too,  the  obligation  which  all  of  us 
feel  for  the  invaluable  assistance  of  Mr.  Silas  McBee  and 
Mr.  Peter  M.  Wilson,  generously  and  patriotically  given. 

And  now,  Mr.  President  [turning  to  the  Vice  Presi- 
dent], the  State  of  North  Carolina  presents  through  you  to 
the  United  States  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance. 
This  is  done  by  authority  of  a  resolution  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  North  Carolina  passed  without  dissent. 
The  recognition  of  Vance  as  the  greatest  of  our  men,  and 
the  placing  of  his  statue  in  this  pantheon  of  the  Nation,  is 
but  the  execution  of  the  judgment  of  all  of  the  people  of 
North  Carolina.  His  personality,  his  character,  and  his 
deeds  confer  upon  him  the  right  to  stand  here,  a  peer 
among  the  foremost  of  the  RepubUc. 

Our  State  has  not  been  in  a  hurry  to  occupy  the  two 
places  assigned  to  h^r  in  this  hall.  In  preferring  Vance 
as  the  first,  she  has  been  mindful  of  her  obligation  to 
consider  with  justice  all  of  her  noble  sons.  And  she  has 
realized,  too,  her  obligation  to  do  justice  to  herself.  This 
statue  shall  be  a  perpetual  memorial  of  him  and  of  her. 
The  State  must  be  judged  by  the  best  that  she  can  pro- 
duce.    He  is  otu-  most  precious  gift  to  the  world.     Since 

15 


1 6  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

we  have  set  him  up  as  the  finest  conception  and  expres- 
sion of  North  CaroHna  life,  he  must  be  the  standard  by 
which  this  and  coming  generations  shall  measure  the  sig- 
nificance and  worth  of  the  State. 

He  was  a  son  of  North  Carolina,  bone  of  her  bone,  and 
flesh  of  her  flesh.  He  was  bom  and  reared  among  the 
moimtains,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage,  but  his  sym- 
pathies were  not  limited  by  sectional  lines  nor  by  the 
dogmas  of  creeds.  Wlierever  he  went,  among  all  classes 
and  conditions  of  men,  from  the  humblest  to  the  great- 
est, he  was  primus  inter  pares,  and  exemplified  the  uni- 
versal brotherhood.  In  fashionable  salons,  among  schol- 
ars and  statesmen,  he  was  simple,  natiu-al,  brilliant, 
easily  the  center.  With  the  same  unpretentious  manner," 
on  terms  of  perfect  equality  he  charmed  the  men  in  work- 
ing clothes,  with  rough  hands,  and  was  loved  by  them  as 
their  wiser  and  stronger  brother,  whose  fidelity  could 
never  be  doubted.  He  taught  dignity  to  nobility.  He 
was  "a  legist  among  the  lawyers,  a  sidereal  among  the 
astronomers." 

Vance  was  trusted  and  honored  and  loved  by  the  people 
of  North  Carolina  as  no  other  man  has  been.  He  was 
elected  and  reelected  to  the  places  of  highest  honor.  He 
was  vested  with  the  greatest  trust  and  called  in  every 
crisis  to  do  the  foremost  part.  From  the  time  that  he  was 
30  years  old  until  the  day  of  his  death  at  the  age  of  64  he 
was  the  unrivaled  leader.  Faith  in  his  loyalty  and  prowess 
never  faltered. 

Preeminent  merit  is  not  always  the  necessary  prerequi- 
site to  high  official  position,  but  for  30  years,  in  times  of 
war  and  revolution,  disaster  and  sufi'ering,  Vance  was  the 
chosen  champion  of  the  people.  He  declared  their  poli- 
cies. He  voiced  their  highest  aspirations.  He  was  always 
in  the  fiercest  of  the  conflict  to  meet  and  to  overcome  with 
blow  for  blow  the  mightiest  that  opposed.  He  was  the 
voice  of  the  State,  the  incarnation  of  her  passion,  her 
hopes,  her  determination,  and  her  piUT)Ose.     He  was  the 


Address  of  Hon.  Locke  Craig  17 

leader  to  call  her  to  duty,  to  rescue  her  victoriously  from 
ruin  and  strife  into  the  way  of  peace  and  to  point  her  to 
a  triumphant  destiny.  This  entitles  him  to  a  place  among 
the  immortals. 

In  i860  Vance  attended  the  State  convention  of  the 
Whigs  in  Salisbury.  This  was  his  first  appearance  before 
the  whole  State.  He  was  30  years  old,  a  Member  of  Con- 
gress from  the  mountain  district,  having  been  elected  for 
the  first  time  in  1858.  The  greatest  men  of  the  State 
were  there,  among  them  WilHam  A.  Graham  and  George 
E.  Badger,  statesmen  of  national  prominence.  Reports 
about  the  yoimg  Congressman  from  the  mountains  had 
spread  down  into  the  State.  When  he  spoke  to  the  con- 
vention it  was  realized  that  the  man  for  the  times  of 
approaching  storm  had  appeared.  Men  heard  him  with 
wild  delight,  and  the  multitude  bore  him  on  their  shoulders 
through  the  streets  of  the  city.  Nothing  like  him  had 
been  seen.  He  was  young,  splendid  in  courage  and  in 
humor,  in  logic  and  eloquence.  They  acclaimed  him 
then  the  bom  leader  of  men.  He  held  and  was- worthy  of 
this  distinction  as  long  as  he  lived. 

In  1 86 1  he  resigned  his  position  in  Congress  and  went 
into  the  Confederate  Army.  He  was  captain  and  then 
colonel  of  the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  a 
regiment  glorious  for  heroism  and  sacrifice.  The  men 
emulated  the  daring  and  the  courage  of  their  commander. 
In  1862,  without  his  seeking,  he  was  elected  governor. 
No  man  was  ever  called  to  a  task  more  difficult,  and  no 
man  ever  performed  his  task  with  more  consummate 
ability  and  determination. 

North  Carolina  was  a  Union  State;  Vance  was  a  Union 
man.  He  and  she  were  steadfast  to  the  Union  until  the 
awful  choice  was  presented,  either  to  join  the  armies  that 
were  to  crush  into  submission  the  seceding  States  in  the 
exercise  of  constitutional  right,  or  to  join  the  sister  States 
of  the  South  in  resisting  invasion.  When  North  Caro- 
lina joined  the  Confederacy,  and  plighted  her  faith  to 

60551"— 17 2 


1 8  Statue  of  ZebtUon  Baird  Vance 

the  cause,  Vance  was  determined  that  his  State  should 
be  true  to  the  covenant  even  unto  destruction  and  death, 
that  she  should  never  surrender  until  the  last  soldier  had 
laid  down  his  arms. 

In  1863,  after  the  Battle  of  Gettysbiu-g,  when  the  cause 
of  the  Confederacy  was  desperate,  there  were  strong  men 
in  North  Carolina  who  demanded  that  the  governor  should 
make  peace  separate  from  the  other  Southern  States. 
They  made  to  the  old  Union  men  an  appeal  of  plausi- 
bility and  power.  There  were  thousands  of  men  in  the 
State  who  would  not  join  the  Confederate  Army,  and 
thousands  who  had  left  it. 

The  conscript  laws  must  be  enforced;  the  laws  and  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  State  must  be  maintained;  there  was 
ruiiversal  uncertainty  and  confusion.  But  always  the 
young  governor  was  firm  and  clear.  He  held  the  State 
true  to  the  Confederacy.  But  he  made  the  Confederate 
Government  to  know  that  the  civil  tribunals  of  this  State 
were  supreme  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  of  the  hmn- 
blest  citizen  against  militarj'  power;  that  the  writ  of 
habeas  corpus  must  be  respected,  and  that  it  should 
never  be  suspended,  neither  for  the  enforcement  of  the 
conscript  laws  nor  for  any  other  cause;  that  if  under  this 
writ  a  citizen  of  North  Carolina  should  be  released  from 
arrest  or  prison,  for  the  protection  of  such  a  citizen  he 
would,  if  necessary,  make  armed  resistance  to  the  Con- 
federate Government  with  the  whole  military  power  of 
the  State. 

He  trampled  down  disloyalty  to  the  Confederacy  at 
home.  He  resisted  the  imlawful  exercise  of  military 
power  from  Richmond.  It  required  a  master  arm  to 
guide  the  ship  of  state  in  this  tempest  between  Scylla 
and  Charybdis. 

In  the  poUtical  campaign  of  1 864  his  enemies  threw  down 
to  him  the  gage  of  battle — peace  against  war.  The  strong 
Union  sentiment  of  the  State  that  prevailed  until  the  very 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  the  reverence  that  had  always 


Address  of  Hon.  Locke  Craig  19 

existed  for  the  Union,  made  the  situation  dangerous  and 
fraught  with  more  difficulty  in  North  Carolina  than  in 
any  other  Southern  State.  Vance  was  the  storm  center. 
Destiny  shook  her  doubtful  urn.  The  material  considera- 
tions were  all  with  his  opponents.  The  State  could  cut 
loose  from  the  Confederacy  and  make  an  advantageous 
peace  if  she  would.  Vance  went  to  Virginia  to  speak  to 
the  North  Carolina  soldiers  of  Lee's  army.  They  were 
the  men  who  bore  the  hardships  and  the  brunt  of  the 
battle.  The  supreme  issue  was  clear — the  separate  peace 
or  continued  war.  Already  the  land  was  robed  in  the 
consuming  fire  of  war.  North  Carolina  was  bleeding  to 
death,  a  land  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief;  the 
flower  of  her  sons  had  been  slain;  wives  and  children 
were  suffering  at  home,  sometimes  gathering  for  bread 
the  com  that  was  spilled  out  of  the  wagons  of  invading 
armies.  The  men  had  heard  this  cry  from  home,  but  they 
heard,  too,  the  clarion  voice  of  the  governor  that  called  to 
battle  and  to  sacrifice.  Wellington  said  that  the  pres- 
ence of  Napoleon  in  battle  was  equivalent  to  50,000  men. 
Lee  said  that  Vance's  visit  and  speech  to  his  army  was 
equivalent  to  a  reenforcement  of  50,000  men. 

He  spoke  in  various  parts  of  the  State.  Not  only  the 
army  but  the  people  were  inspired  with  his  heroic  spirit. 
The  opposition,  bom  of  selfishness,  wilted  before  his  burn- 
ing eloquence.  The  men  who  had  left  the  camp  returned 
to  the  colors.  North  Carolina  sent  more  soldiers  to  the 
armies  of  the  Confederacy  than  any  other  State,  and  they 
were  constant  even  tmto  the  end. 

In  1864  on  the  issue  of  separate  peace  or  continued 
war,  and  on  his  administration  as  war  governor,  the 
soldiers  voted  for  Vance.  The  people  voted  for  him.  He 
was  triumphantly  elected.  North  Carolina  kept  her  faith 
and  endured  the  sacrifice. 

When  Xerxes  was  invading  Greece,  he  sent  ambassadors 
to  Athens  to  portray  the  ruin  of  resistance  and  to  propose 
a  separate  peace  that  would  bring  to  the  Athenians  wealth 


20  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

and  make  their  city  the  ruhng  city  of  Greece.  The 
Spartans  had  been  slain  at  Thermopylae,  the  Persian 
armies — innumerable — were  sweeping  down  from  the 
north.  The  Persian  fleets  covered  the  ^gean  Sea. 
Some  favored  the  proposal  for  the  ignominious  peace  in 
the  Assembly  of  Athens.  Cyrsilus  urged  that  the  terms 
of  the  great  king  be  accepted.  Themistocles  declared 
that  it  were  better  for  Athens  to  be  destroyed  while 
fighting  for  the  honor  and  independence  of  Greece  than 
to  accept  all  of  the  gold  of  the  Orient.  The  men  of  Athens 
followed  Themistocles.  They  sent  away  the  Persian 
ambassadors;  they  stoned  Cyrsilus  to  death.  And  in  the 
day  when  overwhelming  armies  were  marching  upon  our 
land,  when  the  State  was  drinking  the  cup  of  trembUng 
to  the  very  dregs,  under  the  leadership  of  Vance  she  gave 
to  us  the  inheritance  that  shall  never  be  taken  from  us. 

While  mastering  the  difficulties  of  politics,  and  harmon- 
izing contending  factions,  he  did  not  forget  the  needs  of  the 
soldiers,  nor  the  people,  nor  the  destitute  families  of  the 
deserters.  His  ships  defied  the  blockade  and  brought 
into  our  ports  from  England  rifles,  munitions,  clothing, 
shoes,  and  blankets  for  the  Army,  necessities  and  com- 
forts for  all  of  the  homes  of  the  rich  and  the  poor.  Our 
soldiers  and  people  were  better  provided  for  than  any  of 
the  South.  He  is  known  to  us  and  to  history  as  "The 
great  war  governor." 

After  the  carnage  of  battle,  after  the  wreck  and  desola- 
tion of  war,  the  night  of  reconstruction  set  in.  North 
Carolina's  wounds  had  healed,  but  her  heart  was  bleeding. 
All  of  the  beasts  of  prey  came  forth  to  plunder  and  to 
devour.  Darkness  and  demoralization  prevailed.  There 
were  many  who  thought  that  we  should  seek  admission 
to  the  Union  in  humility  and  contrition,  that  we  should 
accept  the  new  order,  that  we  should  join  the  dominant 
party  with  its  dogmas  of  social  and  poHtical  equality, 
that  we  should  submit  to  the  disfranchisement  of  the 
foremost  and  the  bravest,  and  not  cry  aloud  against  the 


Address  0/  Hon.  Locke  Craig  21 

control  of  elections  by  Federal  soldiers.  Many  of  these 
men  were  strong  men.  They  thought  that  further  con- 
tention with  a  victorious  party  was  hopeless,  and  would 
be  disastrous.  But  there  were  those  who  stood  for  the 
integrity  of  the  State  as  a  member  of  the  Union,  who  did 
not  surrender  their  ideals,  who  believed  in  the  supremacy 
of  our  race,  who  knew  that  the  policies  of  reconstruction 
were  impossible,  except  to  our  shame  and  ruin.  Vance 
was  the  leader,  the  voice  of  these,  the  inspiration  of  a 
State  that  was  crushed.  In  a  speech  in  Raleigh  at  the 
beginning  of  this  area  of  chaos,  referring  to  the  men  who 
were  advocating  the  policies  that  in  his  opinion  would 
bring  ruin  to  the  State,  humiliation  to  the  people,  and 
threaten  the  overthrow  of  our  civilization,  after  pouring 
out  upon  them  his  ridicule  and  invective,  as  with  the  blast 
©f  a  tempest  he  said:  "It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for 
them  in  North  Carolina."     He  made  good  the  prophecy. 

After  the  surrender  and  the  dissolution  of  the  Confed- 
eracy he  was  loyal  to  the  Union.  He  had  left  it  with 
sorrow.  He  had  no  venom,  no  hatred  in  his  heart,  he 
was  charitable  to  all  of  his  foes,  even  in  his  own  adversity, 
but  he  made  reconstruction  odious  in  North  Carolina. 
He  poured  out  the  lava  of  his  wrath  upon  the  men  who 
were  plundering  the  State  and  trampling  down  her  pride 
and  her  life. 

In  1870  the  State  elected  a  Democratic  general  assembly 
over  military  power  and  enfranchised  slaves.  Vance 
was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate.  He  was  denied 
admission  on  account  of  disabilities — proscribed  because 
of  his  service  to  the  Confederacy.  The  devotion  and  trust 
of  the  people  in  him  was  stronger  than  ever.  The  storms 
growing  out  of  the  war  had  not  abated.  The  violence 
of  the  contest  for  the  rehabilitation  of  the  State  and 
the  restoration  of  her  government  to  virtue  and  intelli- 
gence continued  with  determination.  Vance  was  nomi- 
nated for  governor   in    1876.     Judge   Thomas   Settle,   a 


22  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

man  of  character  and  eminent  ability,  the  foremost  of  the 
RepubUcans,  was  his  opponent.  Their  joint  canvass  has 
never  been  equaled  in  our  State,  nor  in  my  opinion  sur- 
passed anywhere.  The  problems  resulting  from  the  war, 
the  political  status  of  the  State,  the  constitutional  rights 
of  the  people,  the  new  social  order,  the  administration 
of  our  government  were  debated  with  consummate  power. 
These  men  standing  for  opposing  ideas  had  grappled  to 
try  conclusions.  The  time  was  fierce  and  the  people  were 
intense.  Multitudes  gathered  to  hear  them.  The  Repub- 
licans hailed  Settle  with  enthusiasm  as  a  splendid  and 
undaunted  chief.  Vance  was  acclaimed  as  a  deliverer. 
He  was  escorted  by  cavalcades  and  surrounded  by  cheer- 
ing thousands.  Vance  was  elected.  The  supremacy 
of  his  party,  the  ideals  and  the  policies  for  which  he  stood 
were  firmly  established  in  North  Carolina.  Order  came 
out  of  chaos,  the  hatreds  of  the  war  were  forgotten,  the 
fields  were  glad  with  harvests,  the  university  was  opened, 
schools  were  established,  the  State  rejoiced  in  peace  and 
in  her  growing  strength.  She  turned  to  the  working  out 
of  her  destiny,  loyal  to  the  Union  of  the  fathers  and  imder 
the  flag. 

In  1879  Vance  took  his  seat  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States.  The  volcanic  force  and  fire  of  the  period  of  storm 
and  revolution  subsided  into  the  calm  and  clear  strength 
and  dignity  of  the  Senator.  At  no  period  in  our  history 
have  there  been  so  many  men  in  the  Senate  of  power 
and  accomplished  statesmanship.  Every  State  sent  her 
strongest  men.  The  floor  of  the  Senate  was  the  arena 
of  intellectual  giants.  There  were  Blaine,  of  Maine; 
Edmunds  and  Morrill,  of  Vermont;  Hoar,  of  Massachusetts ; 
Conkling,  of  New  York;  Bayard,  of  Delaware;  Ransom,  of 
North  Carolina;  Hampton,  of  South  Carolina;  Benjamin 
Hill,  of  Georgia;  Morgan,  of  Alabama;  Lamar,  of  Missis- 
sippi; Blackburn,  of  Kentucky;  Vest,of  Missouri;  Voorhees, 
of  Indiana;  Thurman,  of  Ohio;  Ingalls,  of  Kansas.  In 
this  great  company  Vance  was  recognized  as  the  equal 


Address  of  Hon.  Locke  Craig  23 

of  any,  an  intellectual  gladiator  who  never  lowered  his 
arm,  a  statesman  who  dedicated  himself  to  labor  and  to 
the  service  of  the  State  and  of  the  whole  Nation.  He 
mastered  the  problems  of  his  time,  and  added  to  his 
national  fame.  His  speeches  gave  evidence,  not  only  of 
his  known  ability,  but  of  classic  culttire.  In  debates  on 
the  policies  and  fundamental  questions  of  controlling 
importance  he  was  generally  put  forward  as  the  spokes- 
man of  his  party.  He  was  by  constitution  and  by  culture 
a  democrat.  He  was  the  um-elenting  foe  of  unjust  priv- 
ilege of  all  kinds,  the  apostle  of  equal  rights.  He  delivered 
the  faith  that  is  now  the  creed  of  Democracy.  For  half 
a  century  the  advocates  of  political  dogmas  have  con- 
jured with  his  name,  or  tried  to  conjiu^e  with  it. 

There  was  nothing  of  the  demagogue  about  Vance. 
He  was  nearly  always  on  the  popular  side,  but  often  by 
his  own  genius  he  made  his  side  popular.  He  was  one 
of  those  men  of  genius  of  universal  type.  He  was  one 
of  the  people,  in  full  accord  and  sympathy  with  them. 
His  single  purpose  was  the  common  good,  with  a  passion 
for  justice  and  against  unfairness  and  oppression.  Gen. 
Theodore  F.  Davidson,  a  kinsman  of  Vance,  who  knew 
him  perhaps  more  intimately  than  any  living  man,  says 
of  him: 

Another  characteristic  particularly  in  public  matters,  was  his  capacity  to 
divine  the  right;  it  seemed  to  me  that  with  less  effort  than  any  public  man 
of  whom  I  have  any  knowledge,  he  could  almost  instantly  comprehend  a 
public  question  with  its  results,  by  intuition.  This  quality  was  an  endow- 
ment of  nature,  developed  and  strengthened  by  the  circumstances  of  his 
unusual  career. 

Another  distinguishing  characteristic  which  made  him  the  first  of  the 
"leaders  of  men,"  was  his  absolute  devotion  to  that  \vhich  he  believed  to 
be  the  best  for  his  country  and  his  people.  I  do  not  believe  there  ever  was 
a  moment  in  his  life  when  he  was  not  perfectly  willing  to  offer  himself  and 
all  he  had  for  the  benefit  of  his  countrymen  without  the  slightest  considera- 
tion whether  it  brought  to  him  compensation  in  any  form. 

If  you  strike  the  chord  of  a  musical  instrument  in  the 
midst  of  other  musical  instruments,  all  of  the  chords  that 
are  in  perfect  harmony  will  vibrate  with  the  same  rhythm. 


24  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

Vance  was  in  harmony  with  the  people.  The  same  causes 
that  stirred  them  stirred  him.  He  uttered  the  dominant 
note.  His  vision  was  farther  and  clearer.  His  conception 
stronger.  He  expressed  what  they  vaguely  felt,  and  what 
they  had  been  longing  to  hear,  and  he  gave  tone  and 
vmity  to  their  thought,  their  aspirations,  and  their  life. 

He  was  sympathetic  and  tender  as  a  child.  On  the 
13th  of  May,  1865,  he  was  arrested  without  notice  by 
Federal  soldiers  in  Statesville.  As  he  went  along  the 
road  to  his  unknown  destiny,  a  prisoner  surrounded  by 
soldiers,  through  a  State  where  in  other  days  every  jour- 
ney had  been  a  triumphal  procession,  Mr.  Samuel  Wit- 
towsky,  who  was  with  him,  says  that  for  a  moment  he  was 
overcome  and  shed  tears  while  they  drove  along  in  silence. 
"This  will  not  do,"  said  Vance;  "I  must  not  allow  my 
feelings  to  unman  me,  but  it  is  so  hard  to  bear.  I  am  not 
so  much  concerned  about  what  may  be  in  store  for  me, 
but  my  poor  wife  and  little  children;  they  have  not  a 
cent  of  money  to  live  on."  When  Danton,  the  giant  of 
the  French  Revolution,  who  had  defied  imperial  armies, 
who  had  hurled  at  the  feet  of  the  coalesced  kings  of 
Europe  as  gage  of  battle,  the  head  of  a  king;  who  had 
organized  armies  and  had  saved  France,  when  he  stood 
upon  the  platform  of  the  guillotine,  surrounded  by  sol- 
diers and  the  populace  howling  for  his  blood,  he,  too,  broke 
down  in  tears,  saying:  "  I  will  never  see  my  poor  wife  any 
more,  then."  He,  too,  nerved  himself  with  the  expression: 
"  Danton,  no  weakness." 

Vance  never  quailed  nor  bowed  the  knee  to  power. 
When  he  was  down,  when  his  enemies  were  in  control  and 
his  future  seemed  darkest  he  wrote  the  following  letter: 

To  THE  Editor  of  thb  Nbw  York  World: 

I  see  by  the  public  prints  that  Gen.  Kilpatrick  has  decorated  me  with 
his  disapprobation  before  the  people  of  Pennsylvania.  He  informs  them, 
substantially,  that  he  tamed  me  by  capturing  me  and  riding  me  200  miles 
on  a  bareback  mule.  I  will  do  him  the  justice  to  say  that  he  knew  tliat  was 
a  lie  when  he  uttered  it. 

I  surrendered  to  Gen.  Schofield  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,  on  the  2d  day  of 
May,  1865,  who  told  me  to  go  to  my  home  and  remain  there,  saying  that  if 


Address  of  Hon.  Locke  Craig  25 

he  got  any  orders  to  arrest  me  he  would  send  there  for  me.  Accordingly  I 
went  home,  and  there  remained  until  I  was  arrested  on  the  13th  of  May  by 
a  detachment  of  300  Cavalry,  imder  Maj.  Porter,  of  Harrisbiu-g,  from  whom 
I  received  nothing  but  kindness  and  courtesy.  I  came  in  a  buggy  to 
Salisbury,  where  we  took  the  cars. 

I  saw  no  mule  on  the  trip,  yet  I  thought  I  saw  an  ass  at  the  general's 
headquarters;  this  impression  has  since  been  confirmed. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

Z.  B.  Vance. 

His  humor  was  inimitable ;  it  was  spontaneous.  Audi- 
ences were  convulsed  with  laughter  by  his  witticisms 
and  his  stories;  but  his  himior  was  always  an  incident. 
It  always  illustrated.  It  was  always  used  for  a  purpose. 
It  was  overwhelming  and  brought  his  antagonist  irre- 
sistibly into  ridicule.  When  the  southern  leaders  in 
Congress  were  accused  of  disloyalty,  he  said: 

Wlfat  motive  have  we  to  injure  this  country?  Having  siirrendered  the 
doctrine  of  secession  and  abandoned  any  intention  whatsoever  to  divide 
this  Union,  how  could  we  expect  that  the  democracy  to  which  we  belong 
could  obtain  and  hold  the  control  of  the  Government  except  by  showing 
the  people  by  our  acts  that  we  are  patriotically  desirous  of  promoting  its 
welfare  and  its  glory.  But  you  say  you  distrust  these  expressions.  My 
friends,  in  your  hearts  you  do  not.  On  the  contrary,  a  man  who  has  offered 
his  blood  once  for  his  plighted  faith  you  believe  when  he  plights  his  faith 
again.  There  is  not  a  southern  rebel,  no  matter  how  bitter  and  rampant 
he  may  have  been,  that  you  have  not  received  with  arms  widespread  and 
rewarded  with  offices  of  honor  and  trust  who  came  to  you  with  craven 
repentance  on  his  tongue,  ready  to  vote  the  Republican  ticket  and  eating 
dirt  with  the  same  gluttonous  appetite  with  which  he  once  ate  fire.  You 
profess  to  believe  him,  but  you  despise  him  in  your  hearts.  You  are  not 
alarmed  to  receive  him  and  you  cast  no  suspicion  upon  his  professions  of 
sincerity,  though,  as  has  more  than  once  happened,  he  asks  you  to  believe 
he  tells  the  truth  to-day  because  he  told  a  lie  yesterday. 

His  personal  appearance  was  unique.  He  did  not  look 
like  other  men.  No  man  who  saw  him  ever  forgot  him. 
His  magnetism  charmed  with  a  peculiar  and  indescribable 
power.  When  you  looked  upon  him,  you  knew  that  you 
beheld  the  lion-hearted  leader  of  men. 

When  known  and  imderstood,  men  of  all  parties  ad- 
mired and  honored  him  for  his  convictions,  his  cotu-age, 
his  kindness  of  heart,  his  abiding  loyalty  and  devotion  to 
the  whole  cotmtry. 


26  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

When  he  died  the  State  was  awed  into  a  solemnity  that 
we  had  not  known.  It  was  realized  that  the  foremost 
had  fallen.  The  train  bearing  him  for  the  last  time  to 
the  bosom  of  the  moimtains  that  bore  him  and  nm-tured 
him  passed  through  the  State  while  the  assembled  people 
with  uncovered  heads  bowed  and  wept.  Meetings  were 
held  in  almost  every  county  in  expression  of  universal 
sorrow.     The  State  was  his  funeral  cortege. 

No  hollow  formalist  was  he,  deceptive  and  self-deceptive,  ghastly  to 
the  natural  sense,  but  a  very  man,  fiery,  real,  from  the  great  fire  bosom 
of  nature  herself. 


The  Chairman:  We  are  honored  in  having  with  us  here 
to-day  the  Vice  President  of  the  United  States.  Called  to 
his  high  place  by  reason  of  faithful  and  able  service  to  his 
people,  presiding  with  distinction  over  the  august  body 
where  Senator  Vance  served  so  long  and  so  well,  it  is 
eminently  fitting  that  he  should  receive  the  statue  in  be- 
half of  the  Nation.  It  is  indeed  a  privilege  to  present  the 
Vice  President. 


ADDRESS  OF  HON.  THOMAS  R.  MARSHALL 

That  which  we  call  life  is  but  a  narrow  isthmus  which 
links  the  "  Land  of  Was  "  to  the  "  Land  of  To  Be.  "  We 
enter  by  the  "Port  of  Wail"  and  we  leave  it  over  the 
"Bridge  of  Sighs."  We  have  our  hopes,  our  fears,  our 
seeming  failures  and  successes.  Alternate  sunshine  and 
shadow  play  around  us,  and  at  the  close  we  wonder 
whether  we  have  found  the  right  way  out  of  our  wilderness 
of  thought,  whether  it  has  paid.  So  many  seemingly 
strive  for  high  and  mighty  purposes  only  to  fail,  and  so 
many  roam  like  care-free  children  along  the  way  only  to 
seemingly  succeed  that  yet  again  we  wonder  whether 
there  is  a  purpose  in  it  all.  That  man  who  walks  by 
knowledge  can  not  tell;  that  man  who  goes  along  the 
path  of  faith,  he  alone  knows.  For,  in  the  brief  span  of  this 
existence,  there  are  so  many  unaccountable  experiences 
one  can  not  think  they  come  by  chance.  Into  the 
composite  photograph  of  a  man  there  are  so  many  indis- 
tinguishable faces  that  in  the  making  of  it  there  must 
have  been  a  plan. 

This  is  not  perfunctory  service  upon  the  part  of  the 
presiding  officer  of  the  Senate.  It  is  a  quickened  heart 
throb  at  the  memory  of  days  agone  and  an  humble  apology 
to  Zebui^on  B.  Vance  for  a  partial  failure  of  life's  work. 
This  is  both  an  official  and  personal  occasion  to  me.  In 
the  days  of  my  young  manhood  when  more  or  less  thought- 
fully striving  to  fit  myself  for  the  duties  of  an  American 
citizen,  I  was  sent  by  my  parents  to  a  small  Presbyterian 
college  in  Indiana.  Some  little  while  after  my  matricula- 
tion I  was  solicited  to  join  a  Greek  letter  fraternity. 
Among  the  inducements  held  out  to  me  was  the  fact  that 
Gov.  Vance  of  North  Carolina  would  be  one  of  my  broth- 
ers and  that  Gen.  Lew  Wallace  of  Indiana  would  be 
another.  I  was  not  overly  thoughtful  as  a  boy  nor  do  I 
claim  to  be  now  that  age  has  come,  but  I  did  exercise 

27 


28  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

enough  thought  to  reach  the  conclusion  that  I  wanted  to 
be  a  member  of  a  fraternity  that  embraced  in  its  ranks  a 
war  governor  of  the  South  and  a  Union  general  of  the 
North. 

For  more  than  40  years  now  I  have  enjoyed  at  fraternity 
banquets  the  opportunity  of  referring  to  "Brother  Zeb 
Vance"  and  "Brother  Lew  Wallace."  While  governor 
of  my  native  State,  I  had  the  honor  of  delivering  the 
oration  at  the  unveiling  in  this  Hall  of  Fame  of  Indiana's 
contribution  of  the  statue  of  Brother  Lew  Wallace. 
To-day,  on  behalf  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
I  have  the  honor  of  receiving  the  statue  of  Brother  Zeb 
Vance.  Let  him  who  believes  that  men  are  tossed  by 
fate  without  purpose  upon  the  angry  seas  of  life,  think  on 
these  occturences. 

Most  of  us  are  very  thoughtless.  We  have  no  well- 
defined  intention  of  sajring  or  doing  aught  that  will  offend 
our  brother  man,  lessen  the  sum  total  of  his  happiness  or 
prevent  the  onward  progress  of  humankind,  but  most  of 
us  are  careless. 

Forty-six  years  ago  I  began  to  consider  the  life  of 
Zebulon  B.  Vance.  I  found  then  that  the  lodestar  of 
his  life  was  truth;  that  the  compass  by  which  he  sailed 
his  bark  was  consecrated  to  present  duty;  that  his  char- 
acter contained  something  more  than  knowledge,  industry 
and  eloquence;  that  it  had  wrapped  up  within  it  that  most 
priceless  jewel  of  humanity — influence — and  that  that  in- 
fluence was  never  used  in  an  unworthy  cause  nor  for  the 
purpose  of  self-aggrandizement.  And  as  the  years  went 
by  and  he  passed  from  the  keeping  of  North  Carolina  into 
the  keeping  of  the  RepubUc,  he  sailed  an  unvarying  course 
toward  truth  and  honor  and  justice.  True  he  had  his  am- 
bitions and  they  were  satisfied  far  beyond  the  dreams  or 
merits  of  other  men  but  his  ambition  diS'ered  from  mighty 
conquerors  in  that  he  sought  place,  preferment  and  power 
not  for  himself  but  for  the  sufi'ering,  the  helpless  and  the 
less  competent  sons  of  men.     To  many  even  in  these  short 


Address  of  Hon.  Thomas  R.  Marshall  29 


years  since  his  ashes  have  mingled  again  with  the  soil  of 
the  Old  North  State,  his  name  may  be  but  a  memory. 
But  his  courage  in  war,  his  patriotism  in  peace,  his  un- 
selfish devotion  to  the  rights  of  man  are  a  memory  which 
sweetens  the  sleep  of  every  North  Carolinian,  strengthens 
the  arm  of  every  American  and  heartens  the  hope  of  every 
young  man  who  wants  to  do  the  right  for  the  right's  sake 
in  the  new  age  now  just  upon  us. 

The  Republic  receives  into  this  pantheon  with  loving 
gratitude  this  counterfeit  presentment  of  North  Carolina's 
illustrious  son  and  may  the  time  never  come  when  any 
son  or  daughter  of  the  Republic  shall  pass  it  by  unnoticed 
or  fail  to  lift  a  prayer  to  Heaven  for  the  birth  and  rebirth 
of  the  high  ideals  which  he  inspired  in  the  minds  and 
hearts  and  conduct  of  the  men  and  women  of  North 
Carolina. 

The  statue  was  then  decorated  with  palms,  presented 
by  Mrs.  Josephus  Daniels,  and  with  wreaths  of  pine  and 
of  rhododendron,  sent  by  the  patriotic  women  of  North 
Carolina  and  presented  by  Mrs.  Eugene  Little,  president 
of  the  North  Carolina  division  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
Confederacy,  by  Mrs.  W.  P.  Parsons  of  Wadesboro,  and  by 
Mrs.  Glenn,  president  of  the  Zeb  Vance  Chapter  of  Bun- 
combe County. 

The  ceremony  was  then  closed  with  the  benediction  of 
the  bishop. 


ACCEPTANCE 
OF  THE  STATUE 


BY  THE  SENATE 
JUNE  22,  1916 
BY  THE  HOUSE 
JULY    29,    1916 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  SENATE 

SATURDAY,  JUKE  3,  1916 

Mr.  Overman.  I  ask  present  consideration  for  the  reso- 
lution which  I  send  to  the  desk. 

The  resolution  (S.  Res.  210)  was  read,  considered  by 
unanimous  consent,  and  agreed  to,  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  exercises  appropriate  to  the  reception  and  acceptance 
from  the  State  of  North  Carolina  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance, 
erected  in  Statuary  Hall  in  the  Capitol,  be  made  the  special  order  for 
Thursday,  June  22,  igi6,  after  the  conclusion  of  the  routine  morning 
business. 

Mr.  Overman.  I  send  to  the  desk  a  notice,  which  I  ask 
to  have  read. 

The  Secretary.  The  Senator  from  North  Carolina  [Mr. 
Overman]  gives  notice  that  on  Thursday,  June  22,  191 6, 
immediately  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  routine  morning 
business,  he  will  ask  that  the  business  of  the  Senate  be 
suspended  in  order  that  there  may  be  held  appropriate 
exercises  for  the  reception  and  acceptance  from  the  State 
of  North  Carolina  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance, 
erected  in  Statuary  Hall  in  the  Capitol. 

THURSDAY,  JUNE  22,  1916 

Mr.  Overman.  Mr.  President,  in  accordance  with  a 
notice  which  is  found  upon  the  calendar,  given  some  two 
weeks  ago,  and  also  in  accordance  with  a  resolution 
adopted  by  the  Senate,  I  send  forward  a  letter  from  his 
excellency,  the  governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  ask  that 
it  may  be  read. 

The  Vice  President.  In  the  absence  of  objection,  the 
Secretary  will  read  the  letter. 

60551°— 17 3  ,3 


34  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

The  Secretary  read  as  follows: 

State  of  North  Carolina, 

Executive  Department, 

Raleigh,  June  20,  IQ16. 
To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
Gentlemen:  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  General  Assembly 
of  North  Carolina,  by  joint  resolution,  directed  that  the  governor  and 
council  of  state  procure  a  statue  of  her  illustrious  citizen,  Zebulon  Baird 
Vance,  governor.  Member  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  Senator, 
to  be  placed  in  Statuary  Hall,  the  Capitol,  Washington,  D.  C,  pursuant 
to  the  act  of  Congress.  By  virtue  of  said  resolution  the  governor,  with  the 
approval  of  the  council  of  state,  appointed  William  A,  Hoke,  Mrs.  M.  V. 
Moore,  Miss  Laura  Lindsay  Carter,  Clement  Manly,  and  John  Henry  Martin, 
a  commission  to  procure  and  have  said  statue  erected. 

I  am  informed  by  the  commission  that  the  statue,  made  by  Gutzon  Bor- 
glura,  has  been  duly  placed  in  position  and  is  now  ready  to  be  presented 
to  you.  As  governor  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  it  affords  me  pleasure 
to  present  to  the  people  and  Government  of  the  United  States  tlie  statue 
of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  distinguished  soldier,  citizen,  and  statesman. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Locke  Craig,  Governor. 

Mr.  Overman.  Mr.  President,  I  offer  a  concurrent  reso- 
lution, and  ask  that  it  be  read.  Later  I  shall  ask  unani- 
mous consent  for  its  present  consideration. 

The  resolution  (S.  Con.  Res.  24)  was  read,  as  follows: 

Resolved,  etc..  That  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  presented  by 
the  State  of  North  Carolina  to  be  placed  in  Statuary  Hall,  is  accepted  in 
the  name  of  the  United  States,  and  that  the  thanks  of  Congress  be  tendered 
to  the  State  of  North  Carolina  for  the  contribution  of  the  statue  of  one  of  its 
most  eminent  citizens,  illustrious  for  the  high  piupose  of  his  life,  and  his 
distinguished  services  to  the  State  and  Nation. 

Second.  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions,  suitably  engrossed  and  duly 
authenticated,  be  transmitted  to  the  governor  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 

Mr.  Overman.  Mr.  President,  I  ask  for  the  adoption  of 
the  concurrent  resolution  which  I  have  heretofore  sub- 
mitted and  which  has  been  read. 

The  concurrent  resolution  was  unanimously  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Overman.  Mr.  President,  I  now  offer  the  concurrent 
resolution  which  I  send  to  the  desk. 

The  Vice  President.  The  Secretary  will  read  the  con- 
current resolution  submitted  by  the  Senator  from  North 
Carolina. 


Proceedings  in  the  Senate  35 


The  concurrent  resolution  (S.  Con.  Res.  25)  was  read, 
considered  by  unanimous  consent,  and  agreed  to,  as 
follows : 

Resolved,  That  there  be  printed  and  bound,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Joint  Committee  on  Printing,  the  proceedings  in  Congress,  together  with  the 
proceedings  at  the  unveiling  in  Statuary  Hall,  upon  the  acceptance  of  the 
statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance  presented  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina, 
16,500  copies,  with  suitable  illustration,  of  which  5,000  shall  be  for  the  use 
of  the  Senate  and  ro,ooo  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
the  remaining  1,500  copies  shall  be  for  the  use  and  distribution  of  the 
Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  OVERMAN,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  President,  with  the  completion  of  the  two  wings 
added  to  the  old  Capitol,  one  now  occupied  by  the  House 
of  Representatives  and  the  other  by  the  Senate,  the  old 
House  of  Representatives  was  left  deserted  and  silent. 
The  scenes  enacted  there  in  that  old  Chamber  for  50  years 
were  only  a  precious  memory,  and  the  echoes  made  by 
the  noise  of  footsteps  only  recalled  the  eloquent  voices 
which  had  once  so  stirred  the  Members  who  sat  there  to 
make  laws  for  their  country. 

For  the  utiHzation  of  tliis  deserted  Chamber  many  plans 
were  submitted.  The  late  Senator  Morrill,  then  a  Mem- 
ber of  the  House,  finally  submitted  the  following  plan, 
wliich  was  approved  and  became  a  law  on  the  2d  day  of 
July,  1869: 

The  President  is  authorized  to  invite  all  the  States  to  provide  and  furnish 
statues,  in  marble  or  bronze,  not  exceeding  two  in  number  for  each  State, 
of  deceased  persons  who  have  been  citizens  thereof  and  illustrious  for  their 
historic  renown  or  for  distinguished  civic  or  military  services,  such  a^  each 
State  may  deem  to  be  worthy  of  this  national  commemoration;  and  when  so 
furnished  the  same  shall  be  placed  in  the  old  Hall  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, in  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States,  which  is  set  apart,  or  so 
much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  as  a  national  Statuary  Hall  for  the  pur- 
pose herein  indicated. 

His  remarks  in  speaking  to  the  passage  of  this  bill  are 
worthy  to  be  quoted  here,  and  were  as  follows: 

Congress  is  the  guardian  of  this  fine  old  Hall,  surpassing  in  beauty  all  the 
rooms  of  this  vast  pile,  and  should  protect  it  from  desecration.     Its  noble 
columns  from  a  quarry  exhausted  and  incapable  of  reproduction — 
"Nature  formed  but  one. 
And  broke  the  die  in  molding." 

Its  democratic  simplicity  and  grandeur  of  style  and  its  wealth  of  asso- 
ciation, with  many  earnest  and  eloquent  chapters  in  the  history  of  our 
country,  deserve  perpetuity  at  the  hands  of  an  American  Congress.  It  was 
here  that  many  of  our  most  distinguished  men,  whose  fame  "the  world 
will  not  willingly  let  die,"  began  or  ended  their  career. 

It  appears  to  me  eminently  proper,  therefore,  that  this  House  should 
take  the  initiative  in  setting  a|);irt  with  reverent  affection  the  Hall,  so 
charged  with  precious  memories,  to  some  purpose  of  usefulness  and  dignity. 

36 


Address  of  Mr.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina  37 

To  what  end  more  useful  or  grand,  and  at  the  same  time  simple  and  inex- 
pensive, can  we  devote  it  than  to  ordain  that  it  shall  be  set  apart  for  the 
reception  of  such  statuary  as  each  State  shall  elect  to  be  deserving  of  this 
lasting  commemoration?  Will  not  all  the  States  with  generous  emulation 
proudly  respond,  and  thus  furnish  a  new  evidence  that  the  Union  will 
clasp  and  hold  forever  all  its  jewels — ^the  glories  of  the  past,  civil,  military, 
and  judicial — in  one  hallowed  spot  where  those  who  will  be  here  to  aid  in 
carrying  on  the  Government  may  daily  receive  fresh  inspiration  and  new 
incentives?  "To  scorn  delights  and  live  laborious  days?"  and  where 
pilgrims  from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  as  well  as  from  foreign  lands,  may 
come  and  behold  a  gallery  filled  with  such  American  manhood  as  succeeding 
generations  will  delight  to  honor,  and  see  also  the  actual  form  and  mold  of 
those  who  have  inerasably  fixed  their  names  on  the  pages  of  history. 

North  Carolina,  one  of  the  old  original  13  States,  now 
claims  her  right  and  the  happy  privilege  to  place  in 
that  gallery  of  renowned  statesmen,  heroes,  soldiers,  and 
patriots  one  of  her  foremost  citizens,  illustrious  and  dis- 
tinguished for  his  services  to  his  State  and  his  country, 
both  in  peace  and  in  war — a  patriot  and  a  leader  among 
men,  idolized  by  all  his  people. 

For  50  years  the  State  of  North  CaroUna  failed  to  avail 
herself  of  this  generous  offer  of  Congress.  But  when  the 
time  came  to  make  selection  of  him  to  be  so  greatly 
honored  and  revered,  among  all  the  great  and  noble 
men  of  the  State  from  its  early  history,  distinguished 
Americans,  patriots,  statesmen,  lawyers,  judges,  builders 
of  the  State  and  country,  great  Senators  and  governors, 
as  they  all  passed  in  review  the  eyes  of  the  people  in- 
stinctively tiuned  upon  one  man,  and  with  one  accord, 
without  a  dissenting  voice,  selected  the  great  commoner, 
Zebulon  Baird  Vance. 

As  the  beautiful  movmtains  in  which  he  first  saw  the 
light  towers  over  the  lovely  valleys  lying  below,  as  Moimt 
Mitchell,  the  highest  peak  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
towers  over  the  other  peaks  of  the  Appalachian  Range,  out 
of  which  it  lifts  its  lofty  head,  at  the  foot  of  which  Senator 
Vance  built  his  beautiful  home,  so  in  the  hearts  of  his 
countrymen  he  towers  over  all  the  great  array  of  men  who 
had  become  distinguished  in  the  State  and  our  cotmtry's 
history.     He  had  loved  them,  led  them,  and  suffered  with 


38  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

them  in  the  dark  days,  in  the  days  of  distress  and  gloom, 
amid  the  storms,  their  distress,  and  defeat;  and  then  after 
the  storm  was  over,  after  the  disaster,  the  suffering,  the 
distress,  and  defeat  he  led  them  in  sunshine  and  to  tri- 
umphant victory. 

He  had  faithfully  represented  them  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives. He  had  led  them  and  fought  with  them 
upon  the  bloody  field  of  battle.  He  had  served  them  in 
the  executive  chair  so  ably  and  conspicuously  that  he  be- 
came far  and  wide  renowned  as  the  greatest  of  the  war 
governors;  and  when  the  clouds  had  passed  away  and  the 
evil  days  had  gone,  again  as  their  governor  upon  its  ruins 
he  helped  to  rebuild  the  old  State,  and  with  great  ability 
and  eminent  statesmanship  for  more  than  1 2  years  served 
his  people  in  the  Senate,  and  finally  died  at  his  post  of 
duty.  He  loved  the  people  and  the  people  loved  him  as 
few  public  men  had  ever  been  loved. 

His  heroic  statue  now  stands  in  Statuary  Hall  with 
Washington  and  Lincoln,  Lee  and  Grant,  Webster,  Clay, 
Calhoun,  and  with  other  renowned  statesmen  and  patriots 
whose  States  have  placed  them  there  for  our  countrymen 
to  admire  and  revere,  and  that  they  may  derive  "fresh 
inspiration  and  new  incentives"  to  their  country's  honor 
and  glory. 

In  this  age  of  commercialism  we  are  inclined  to  forget 
the  men  whose  high  ideals  and  devotion  to  duty  have 
aided  in  the  upbuilding  of  this  great  Government  and  the 
preservation  of  the  immortal  principles  upon  which  it 
was  founded.  In  the  mad  rush  for  place  and  position  it 
is  well  to  have  just  such  object  lessons  as  are  found  in  that 
gallery  of  statesmen  to  remind  us  that  our  happiness  and 
the  blessings  of  liberty  we  enjoy  are  interwoven  with  the 
efforts,  hardships,  and  the  accomplishments  of  those  who 
have  lived  before  us.  The  history  of  those  lives  is  the 
history  of  our  coimtry. 

Senator  Vance  's  ancestors  were  of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 
They  settled  in  North  Carolina  Ijefore  the  Revolution, 
and  both  his  paternal  and  maternal  ancestors  fought  in 


Address  of  Mr.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina  39 

that  great  struggle  for  independence — one  at  Valley  Forge 
with  Washington  and  the  other  at  Ramseurs  Mill  and 
Kings  Mountain.  Both  aided  in  the  erection  of  this 
wonderful  superstructure  which  guarantees  political  lib- 
erty and  individual  freedom.  From  them  he  inherited 
his  great  courage,  his  patriotism,  and  his  rugged  honesty. 
Senator  Vance  had  combined  in  him  the  humor  and  known 
wit  of  the  Irish,  and  the  logic,  the  perseverance,  the  in- 
sight, and  love  of  liberty  of  the  Scotch.  Upon  the  hus- 
tings, in  the  office,  the  social  circle,  in  every  company 
and  on  every  occasion  he  enlivened  it  with  his  wit,  bright- 
ened it  with  his  humor,  and  charmed  it  with  his  jovial 
good  nature. 

He  was  bom  in  the  county  of  Buncombe,  on  the  13th 
day  of  May,  1830,  in  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  near  the 
French  Broad  River,  whose  waters  dash,  sing,  and  roar 
over  the  rugged  rocks,  through  the  picturesque  forests 
between  the  great  mountains  on  to  the  sea. 

He  spent  his  early  life  upon  the  farm.  He  acquired  a 
good  education  in  the  village  school,  and  when  prepared 
he  attended  Washington  College,  Tennessee,  and  then  one 
year  at  the  university  of  the  State ;  read  law  and  received 
his  license  to  practice. 

At  the  age  of  21  he  was  elected  county  attorney,  at 
the  age  of  24  he  was  elected  to  the  house  of  commons,  at 
the  age  of  28  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  at  the  age 
of  30  was  reelected  to  Congress  for  a  second  term.  At 
the  age  of  3 1 ,  in  1 86 1 ,  he  volunteered  for  the  war  and  was 
elected  captain  and  then  colonel  of  the  famous  fighting 
Twenty-sixth  Regiment  North  Carolina  State  troops  in 
the  Confederate  Army.  At  the  age  of  32  he  was  elected 
governor  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  at  the  age 
of  34  he  was  reelected  governor  for  a  second  term.  At 
the  age  of  40  he  was  elected  United  States  Senator,  but 
was  denied  admission  upon  the  ground  that  his  political 
disabilities  had  not  been  removed.  At  the  age  of  46  he 
was  again  elected  governor  of  his  State.  At  the  age  of 
49  he  was  again  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  and 


40  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

took  his  seat,  and  every  six  years  thereafter  was  reelected 
to  the  Senate  until  his  death  in  this  city  at  the  age  of 
64  years,  having  been  elected  four  times  to  this  great 
body.  Thus  step  by  step,  from  his  early  manhood, 
higher  and  higher  his  people  heaped  promotions  and 
honors  upon  him  and  elevated  him  to  positions  of  con- 
fidence and  trust,  in  all  of  which  positions  he  achieved 
distinction.  He  never  betrayed  his  people.  He  served 
them  in  all  these  positions  with  fidelity  and  great  ability 
and  never  a  breath  of  scandal  or  criticism  of  his  integrity 
and  honesty  was  ever  made  against  him  by  either  friend 
or  foe. 

While  at  the  front  fighting  with  his  regiment,  to  one 
of  his  constituents  who  was  urging  him  to  give  his  con- 
sent for  the  people  of  his  district  to  elect  him  to  the 
Confederate  Congress  he  replied  as  follows : 

You  remember  well  the  position  I  occupied  upon  the  great  question 
which  so  lately  divided  the  people  of  the  Soutli.  Ardently  devoted  to 
the  old  Union  and  the  forms  which  the  Federal  fathers  established,  I 
clung  to  it  so  long  as  I  thought  there  was  a  shadow  of  a  hope  of  preserving, 
purifying,  or  reconstructing  it.  And  you  will  also  remember  that  in  the 
last  official  communication  I  had  the  honor  to  make  to  my  constituents 
as  their  Representative  I  pledged  myself  in  case  all  our  efforts  for  peace 
and  justice  at  the  hands  of  the  North  should  fail,  that  their  cause  was 
mine,  their  destiny  was  my  destiny,  and  that  all  I  had  and  was  should 
be  spent  in  their  service.  Those  hopes  did  fail,  as  you  know,  signally 
and  miserably  fail;  civil  war  was  thrust  upon  the  country  and  the  strong 
arm  of  northern  despotism  was  stretched  out  to  crush  and  subdue  the 
southern  people.  I  immediately  volunteered  for  their  defense,  in  obe- 
dience not  only  to  this  promise,  but  also,  as  I  trust,  to  patriotic  instincts; 
and  I  should  hold  this  promise  but  poorly  fulfilled  should  I  now,  after 
having  acquired  sufficient  knowledge  of  military  affairs  to  begin  to  be 
useful  to  my  country,  escape  its  obligations  by  seeking  or  even  accepting 
a  civil  appointment. 

He  had  been  elected  to  Congress  in  1854  as  a  State 
Rights  American.  At  home  and  in  Congress  he  was  an 
outspoken  Union  man.  He  loved  the  flag  his  fathers  had 
fought  to  establish,  but  he  also  believed,  as  he  had  been 
taught,  that  his  first  duty  was  to  his  State.  When  his 
State,  which  had  voted  in  April,  1861 ,  to  stay  in  the  Union, 
finally  had  to  take  her  choice  whether  to  fight  with  and  for 
her  neighbors  or  against  them,  on  the   20th  of  May,  a 


Address  of  Mr.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina  41 

month  following,  unhesitatingly  seceded  from  the  Union, 
he,  as  was  his  duty  to  do,  went  with  his  people  and  at  once 
volunteered  to  fight  in  their  defense,  and  he  went  into  the 
war  with  his  whole  heart  and  soul.  He  was  making  a 
speech  at  Asheville,  in  his  district,  for  the  preservation  of 
the  Union  when  Mr.  Lincoln  s  proclamation  arrived  and 
was  handed  him.  His  hand  came  down  and  his  voice 
raised  for  volunteers  for  the  war. 

Sometime  after  this  the  people  of  the  State  began  to  hold 
meetings  and  in  the  press  began  to  call  upon  him  to  consent 
to  allow  them  to  run  him  for  governor.  Time  and  again  he 
was  importuned  to  do  so,  and  then  from  the  battle  front 
he  wrote  to  a  friend  as  follows: 

Believing  that  the  only  hope  of  the  South  depended  upon  the  prosecution 
of  tlie  war  at  all  hazards  and  to  the  utmost  extremity  so  long  as  the  foot  of 
an  invader  pressed  Southern  soil,  I  took  the  field  at  an  early  day,  with  the 
determination  to  remain  there  until  our  independence  was  achieved.  My 
convictions  in  tliis  regard  remain  unchanged.  In  accordance  therewith  I 
have  steadily  and  sincerely  declined  all  promotion  save  that  which  placed 
me  at  the  head  of  the  gallant  men  whom  I  now  command.  A  true  man 
shotild,  however,  be  willing  to  serve  wherever  the  public  voice  may  assign 
him.  If,  therefore,  my  fellow  citizens  believe  that  I  could  serve  the  great 
cause  better  as  governor  than  I  am  now  doing,  and  should  see  proper  to  con- 
fer this  great  responsibility  upon  me,  without  solicitation  on  my  part,  I 
should  not  feel  at  liberty  to  decline  it,  however  conscious  of  my  own  un- 
worthiness. 

In  thus  frankly  avowing  my  willingness  to  labor  in  any  position  which 
may  be  thought  best  for  the  public  good,  I  do  not  wish  to  be  considered 
guilty  of  the  affectation  of  indifference  to  the  great  honor  which  my  fellow 
citizens  thus  propose  to  bestow  upon  me.  On  the  contrary,  I  should  con- 
sider it  the  crowning  glory  of  my  life  to  be  placed  in  a  position  where  I 
could  most  advance  the  interests  and  honor  of  North  Carolina,  and ,  if  neces- 
sary', lead  her  gallant  sons  against  her  foes.  But  I  shall  be  content  with 
the  people's  will.     Let  them  speak. 

He  was  elected  governor  in  1862  and  was  reelected  in 
1864,  and  during  tliis  most  stormy,  trying,  and  saddest 
period  of  the  State's  history  he  served  with  the  highest 
executive  ability  and  exhibited  a  degree  of  wisdom,  far- 
seeing  sagacity,  and  ability  for  organization  rarely  ever 
seen  in  any  man.  He  equipped  and  sent  to  the  Con- 
federate Army  more  troops  than  any  other  Southern 
State.  Her  soldiers  were  better  clad  and  her  people  had 
more  comfort  at  home. 


42  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

All  the  ports  of  the  South  had  been  blockaded,  and  soon 
after  his  inauguration  he  conceived  the  idea  of  "running 
the  blockade,"  and  organized  a  fleet  of  blockade  runners 
from  Wilmington,  N.  C,  to  European  and  South  Ameri- 
can ports,  by  means  of  which  he  was  enabled  to  export 
cotton  and  receive  in  exchange  shoes,  cloth,  cotton  cards, 
and  other  necessities  of  life  for  the  soldiers  and  people  at 
home.  This  blockade  he  successfully  carried  on  during 
nearly  the  entire  war.  In  every  county  he  organized  relief 
societies  to  save  the  poor  from  starvation,  and  did  every- 
thing possible  that  could  be  done  to  care  for  the  women 
and  children  while  his  soldiers  were  away  fighting  in  de- 
fense of  the  State.  He  upheld  the  rights  of  the  courts 
and  the  individuals,  and  refused  to  allow  to  be  suspended 
the  great  writ  of  habeas  corpus. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  arrested  and  confined  in 
the  old  Capitol  Prison,  but  when  the  records  were  shown 
of  his  kind  treatment  of  the  10,000  starving  Union  sol- 
diers confined  at  Salisbury,  in  his  State,  his  appeal  to  his 
own  people  to  share  their  scanty  subsistence  with  them, 
and  his  appeal  to  the  authorities  of  the  North  for  an  ex- 
change of  prisoners  he  was  granted  an  early  discharge. 
He  returned  home,  sad  at  heart,  to  share  with  his  people 
their  poverty  and  defeat.  He  began  the  practice  of  the 
law  for  a  hveUhood,  but  his  people  called  upon  him  again 
to  serve  them  and  lead  them. 

In  the  great  campaign  of  1876,  when  the  people  of  the 
State  determined  to  rid  themselves  from  carpetbag  mis- 
rule and  the  rottenness  and  corruption  that  then  obtained 
in  high  places,  from  the  insult  and  oppression  of  the  mis- 
guided negro — their  former  slaves — from  the  chaotic  con- 
ditions that  then  prevailed  in  the  State,  they  again  called 
upon  Gov.  Vance  to  be  their  Moses  to  lead  them  out  of 
the  wilderness  of  their  troubles  and  humiliation;  and  the 
Democratic  Party,  with  which  he  had  allied  liimself,  se- 
lected him  as  their  standard  bearer  and  nominated  him 
for  governor.     The  Republicans  had  nominated  one  of 


Address  of  Mr.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina  43 

the  ablest  debaters  in  that  State,  and  then  in  joint  canvass 
thev  began  one  of  the  ablest,  bitterest,  and  most  exciting 
campaigns  ever  known  or  ever  will  be  known  again  in  that 
State. 

Mr.  President,  although  quite  a  young  man,  I  was  with 
him  occasionally  in  that  campaign  and  with  others  fol- 
lowed him  to  his  different  appointments  in  the  State.  I 
saw  the  great  multitude  of  men,  women,  and  children 
who  flocked  to  see  him  and  hear  him.  I  saw  the  great 
cavalcades  tliat  came  cheering  to  welcome  him  and  escort 
him  on  the  highways  to  his  appointments.  Many  of 
them  would  follow  him  about  from  appointment  to  ap- 
pointment and  never  tire  of  hearing  him.  I  have  seen 
that  great  form  rise  to  speak  and  then  the  wild  cheering. 
I  have  heard  him  address  the  multitude,  at  times  moving 
them  to  tears,  at  times  moving  them  to  uncontrollable 
laughter  at  his  sallies  of  wit  and  humor;  have  heard  those 
delightful  anecdotes  with  which  he  clinched  some  of  his 
strongest  points,  heard  his  unanswerable  logic,  his  fierce 
invective,  ridicule,  and  sarcasm,  and  his  flow  of  eloquence, 
and  altogether,  like  a  mighty  torrent,  it  would  carry  the 
crowd  with  him  and  would  so  warm  their  hearts  that  with 
mighty  cheers — 

They  threw  their  hats 

As  they  would  hang  them  on  the  horns  of  the  moon, 

Shouting  their  exultation. 

"They  heard  him  with  raptiue  and  exultant  joy."  I 
have  seen  that  magnificent  presence  of  his  rise  when  the 
masses,  wrought  up  to  great  excitement,  like  the  waves 
of  the  sea  in  a  great  storm  wrought  up  to  wildest  ftuy, 
when  it  seemed  they  were  almost  ready  to  mob  his  op- 
ponent, lift  his  arm  and  wave  his  hand  for  order,  and  in  a 
moment  they  were  as  quiet  as  the  grave  and  were  listen- 
ing in  respectful  silence  to  the  great  speech  of  his  oppo- 
nent. He  always  had  wonderful  control  of  his  audience. 
It  was  one  triumphant  march  from  the  mountains  to  the 
sea.  He  was  elected.  Nothing  cotdd  stop  the  great  vic- 
tory which  came  to  him. 


44  Statiie  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

With  his  election  came  peace,  race  antagonism  was  in  a 
measm^e  allayed,  and  the  old  Commonwealth  started  on 
its  onward  march  upward  to  happiness  and  prosperity. 
Red  strings,  Ku  Klux,  and  secret  political  societies  of  all 
kinds  were  heard  of  no  more.  Frequent  murders,  arson, 
rape,  riots,  and  rapine  ceased.  Justice  was  administered 
to  all  alike  by  the  courts,  good  order  was  restored,  and 
the  people  who  builded  this  great  Commonwealth  came 
into  their  own  again. 

He  began  at  once  to  plan  for  the  settlement  of  the  great 
debt  that  was  burdening  the  people,  to  provide  for  the 
education  of  the  white  people  and  the  black  people  alike, 
to  provide  for  the  care  of  the  insane,  the  deaf,  dumb,  and 
blind,  and  relieve  the  people  of  the  terrible  burdens  under 
which  they  were  then  suffering,  all  of  which,  in  a  measure, 
matured.  He  called  a  great  meeting  of  the  colored  men 
of  the  State  to  meet  at  the  capitol  and  addressed  them  in 
words  of  wisdom  and  tenderness,  advising  them  that  he 
was  their  governor;  and  the  kindly  advice  he  then  gave 
had  its  effect  to  this  day  and  accounts  somewhat  for  the 
cordial  relations  which  now  exist  between  the  races  in 
that  State. 

He  honored  me  with  a  position,  with  his  confidence  and 
his  friendship.  I  was  closely  associated  with  him  and  knew 
him  in  the  executive  office  and  in  the  home  circle.  I  loved 
him  for  his  uniform  kindness.  I  admired  him  for  his 
genius,  his  great  courage,  and  patience  imder  most  trying 
circumstances.  I  enjoyed  his  brilliant  conversation  and 
his  rich,  rare,  and  racy  fund  of  anecdotes,  his  humor,  and 
jovial  disposition.  While  his  soul  was  full  of  wit  and 
humor,  he  was  serious  and  often  engaged  in  the  deepest 
thought  and  found  time  to  write  his  celebrated  lecture 
upon  the  "Scattered  Nation." 

Perhaps  the  only  thing  for  which  he  was  seriously  criti- 
cized while  governor  was  his  too  free  use  of  the  pardoning 
power.  I  have  seen  the  little  blind  girl  pleading  for  the 
pardon  of  her  aged  father,  the  wife  pleading  for  her  hus- 
band, and  the  mother  for  her  boy  bring  him  to  tears.     His 


Address  oj  Mr.  Overman,  of  North  Carolina  45 

great  tender  heart  could  not  resist  their  appeals.  Tender- 
ness, sympathy,  and  mercy  were  part  of  his  nature.  He 
would  often  yield  when  he  knew  that  his  action  was  taken 
in  the  face  of  adverse  opinion.  Free  from  egotism,  he  was 
one  of  the  most  approachable  of  men,  and  the  executive 
chamber  was  always  open  to  all  comers  without  regard  to 
their  standing  in  life.  His  majestic  form,  his  resonant 
voice,  his  long  flowing  locks,  the  merry  twinkle  of  the  eye, 
and  his  simple  manners,  his  open-heartedness,  impressed 
everyone  who  came  in  his  presence.  They  felt  they  stood 
in  the  presence  of  a  great  man,  but  were  unafraid  and  at 
once  felt  at  home. 

His  people  would  not  permit  him  to  remain  long  in  the 
executive  chair,  and  two  years  after  he  had  been  inaugu- 
rated governor  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  and  was  sworn 
in  as  a  Member  of  this  body  on  the  4th  day  of  March,  1879. 
He  at  once  took  high  rank  in  this  body  and  was  recognized 
as  one  of  its  greatest  debaters.  He  was  on  some  of  the 
most  important  committees,  but  his  greatest  work  was 
upon  the  Finance  Committee.  Perhaps  his  greatest  speech 
here  was  upon  the  tariff  question.  He  carefully  attended 
to  the  wants  of  his  constituents,  was  very  industrious,  and 
contributed  by  his  wisdom  to  many  important  public 
measures. 

His  great  reputation  had  preceded  him  here,  and  he 
suffered  not  by  his  close  associations  with  his  colleagues, 
in  his  service  here,  or  by  his  activities  in  the  Nation's 
counsels. 

Imbued  with  the  doctrine  of  State  rights,  loving  the 
South,  her  people,  and  her  traditions  with  a  fervor 
amovmting  to  passion,  he  viewed  with  distrust  and  sus- 
picion every  measure  which  seemed  to  him  to  point  to  a 
centralization  of  power  in  the  Federal  Government. 

Imbued  with  the  spirit  of  chivalry,  with  high  ideals  of 
honor  and  a  lover  of  the  truth,  he  was  ever  on  the  side 
of  right  and  justice,  and  the  cause  of  the  people  foimd  in 
him  a  bold  and  steadfast  champion. 


46  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

Among  his  colleagues  in  the  Senate  there  were  great 
men  of  great  minds  and  great  ability;  statesmen  of  long 
and  large  experience,  but  with  them  he  suffered  not  by 
comparison. 

He  was  a  great  reader  of  the  Bible  and  had  an  abiding 
faith  in  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  and  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul.  Not  in  years,  but  worn  with  cares, 
duties,  honors,  and  responsibilities  of  a  long  life  of  arduous 
service  to  his  people  and  his  coimtry,  having  completed 
his  work,  his  great  soul  passed  into  eternity,  and  the 
people  of  his  State  without  regard  to  party,  race,  sex,  or 
creed  bowed  their  heads  in  sorrow.  Women  wept  and 
strong  men  shed  tears  as  they  walked  along  the   streets. 

Three  times  governor  of  a  great  State;  twice  elected  to 
the  House  of  Representatives;  four  times  elected  to  the 
United  States  Senate.  Can  there  be  fovmd  in  the  annals 
of  our  history  such  a  record? 

To  perpetuate  his  memory  his  native  coimty  has 
erected  a  great  monument  to  him  in  the  city  of  Asheville, 
his  people  a  bronze  statue  of  him  in  the  beautiful  capitol 
grounds,  and  his  State  now  has  placed  in  the  abiding 
place  of  the  Nation's  immortals,  in  bronze,  his  chiseled 
form  and  features  in  memory  of  the  deeds  of  the  past  and 
to  be  an  inspiration  to  those  who  come  after  us  to  kindle 
the  fires  of  patriotism  and  stir  the  hearts  of  the  youth  of 
the  land  to  greater  and  nobler  endeavor  for  the  glory  and 
honor  of  our  great  country. 

Like  a  granite  pillar  chiseled  from  his  own  native 
quarries  his  life  rises  above  us,  lofty  and  massive,  and 
yet  graceful.  It  rises  above  the  clouds  of  troubles  and 
hardships  he  endured,  and,  sim  kissed,  it  stands  in  the 
light  of  heaven,  a  monument  of  a  glory  that  is  past  and  a 
guide  to  that  which  is  to  be. 

The  potentates  on  whom  men  gaze, 
When  once  their  nilc  has  reached  its  goal, 

Die  into  darkness  with  their  days. 
But  monarchs  of  tlie  mind  and  soul, 

With  light  unfailing  and  unspent. 
Illuminate  fame's  firmament. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  LODGE,  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 

Mr.  President:  When  I  entered  the  Senate,  in  March, 
1S93,  Senator  Vance  was  one  of  its  ablest,  best-known, 
and  most  popular  Members.  My  acquaintance  with  him 
was  necessarily  brief,  because  within  a  year  after  my 
coming  into  the  Senate  Senator  Vance  died.  It  is  no 
slight  evidence,  however,  of  the  power  of  his  personality 
and  of  his  personal  attraction  that  I  felt  that  by  his  death 
I  had  lost  a  friend,  for  he  had  made  me  his  friend  in  those 
few  short  months.  I  was  a  yoimg  man  and  on  the  other 
side,  politically,  but  nevertheless  he  dwells  with  me  now 
as  one  of  the  most  vivid  memories  of  my  early  days  in 
the  Senate  and  stands  out  a  marked  and  gracious  figiu-e 
in  my  visions  of  the  past. 

Others  far  better  qualified  than  I  will  trace  here  his 
distinguished  career,  both  in  war  and  in  peace.  All  that 
I  can  hope  to  give  is  the  impression  made  upon  me  during 
the  brief  year  in  which  I  knew  him.  He  had  a  strong  per- 
sonality, as  I  have  already  said;  but,  imlike  some  strong 
personalities,  his  carried  with  it  nothing  but  a  sense  of 
kindliness  and  humor,  for  which  delightful  qualities,  indeed, 
he  was  conspicuous.  When  he  died  the  feeling  that  came 
uppermost,  I  think,  in  the  minds  of  all  who  knew  him  in 
the  Senate  was  not  of  the  eminent  public  man  or  of  his 
services  in  the  field  and  in  public  life.  It  was  that  we 
had  lost  a  friend,  a  man  who  had  awakened  in  us  the  warm 
feelings  of  affection.  But  there  was  another  side  to  Gov. 
Vance,  far  more  important  even  than  this,  and  which  I 
see  now  more  clearly  than  I  did  at  the  time.  He  was  a 
fine  example  of  a  certain  type  of  man  who  had  fought  on 
the  Confederate  side  during  the  Civil  War.  There  were 
many  of  these  men  in  the  Senate  in  those  days;  now,  alas! 
there  are  very  few.  Then  for  the  first  time  I  was  brought 
into  personal  contact  with  them.     I  had  been  bred  in  an 

47 


48  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

atmosphere  of  intense  hostility  to  the  principles  for  which 
they  had  fought.  I  widely  disagreed  with  most  of  their 
political  views;  but  I  was  not  long  in  the  society  of  these 
men  in  the  Senate — these  men  of  whom  Gov.  Vance  was 
such  an  admirable  example — without  learning  keenly  to 
appreciate  their  strong  qualities.  Their  theories  of  polit- 
ical action  which  had  guided  them  in  the  past,  and  which 
guided  them  then,  were  not  mine  and  never  could  be; 
but  they  were  men  of  principle  and  of  conviction,  and  for 
their  principles  they  had  not  only  fought  but  they  were 
ready  to  sacrifice  themselves  to  them  if  need  came  in  the 
less  dangerous  but  more  insidious  trials  of  public  life.. 
They  were  men  of  traditions.  They  had  the  old  Ameri- 
can traditions  strong  within  them,  as  did  the  men  from 
the  North,  who  fought  against  them.  What  I  mean  pre- 
cisely by  this  it  would  take  more  time  to  explain  than  I 
have  to  give,  but  I  think  everyone  who  knows  and  loves 
our  history  will  understand  what  I  mean. 

Above  all.  Gov.  Vance  and  those  who  shared  his  prin- 
ciples and  had  fought  with  him  in  the  Civil  War  were 
men  who  believed  profoundly  that  there  were  certain 
things  for  which  the  individual  life  ought  to  be  sacrificed, 
and  that  there  were  higher  ideals  to  be  followed  than 
living  in  comfort  and  safety  with  opportunity  to  accumu- 
late money.  They  were  to  the  fullest  extent  like  those 
whom  they  met  in  arms  upon  the  battle  fields  of  the  Civil 
War,  of  the  race  of  men  who  fought  the  Revolution,  and 
they  resented  dishonor  or  humiliation  for  their  country 
as  they  would  have  resented  it  for  themselves.  Rather 
than  permit  their  Nation  to  undergo  humiliation  or  be 
dishonored,  rather  than  sacrifice  principles  in  which  they 
believed,  they  were  ready  to  fight  and,  if  need  be,  give 
their  lives.  They  and  the  men  who  fought  for  the  Union, 
however  they  differed,  went  to  war  in  the  same  spirit, 
which  has,  I  believe,  at  all  times  ever  been  the  true 
American  spirit.  When  it  is  extinguished,  then  the  end 
of  the  Republic  is  not  far  off. 


Address  of  Mr.  Lodge,  of  Massachusetts  49 

In  Gov.  Vance  one  saw  first  his  wit  and  humor,  his 
geniality  and  good  comradeship,  and  everyone  loved  him 
for  these  most  attractive  qualities.  But  as  one  came  to 
know  him  better  one  felt  that  he  was  a  representative  of 
those  by  whose  toil  and  sacrifice  and  courage  great  na- 
tions are  made.  Nobody  could  doubt  for  a  moment  that 
Gov.  Vance  would  die  rather  than  be — 

One  of  a  nation,  who,  henceforth,  raus*  wear 
Their  fetters  in  their  souls. 

Therefore  North  Carolina  does  well  to  give  his  statue 
to  the  Nation,  and  we  do  well  to  honor  and  recall  his 
memory  here. 

605il°— 17 4 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  SMITH,  OF  GEORGIA 

Mr.  President  :  Citizens  of  North  Carolina  have  made 
records  for  patriotism,  from  the  days  of  the  Mecklenburg 
Declaration  of  Independence  on  down  to  the  present 
time,  unsurpassed  in  the  annals  of  history.  Her  sons 
have  rendered  distinguished  service  as  lawyers,  as  sol- 
diers, and  as  statesmen. 

The  bench  has  never  been  occupied  by  greater  jurists 
than  Gaston,  Iredell,  Rufl&n,  and  Pearson.  To  tlie  bril- 
liant galaxy  of  American  soldiers  North  Carolina  con- 
tributed, among  others,  Gens.  Graham,  McDowell,  Hoke, 
and  Hill.  Her  statesmen  have  given  splendid  servdce  to 
the  entire  country,  and  from  among  their  number  may 
be  mentioned  Macon,  Mangum,  Graham,  and  Merriman. 

When  the  question  arose  in  North  Carolina  of  selecting 
from  her  distinguished  sons  one  whose  statue  should  grace 
the  National  Statuary  Hall,  the  citizens  of  that  State 
found  many  worthy  of  the  place.  It  might  well  have  been 
expected  that  difficulty  of  decision  would  develop,  but  there 
was  no  division  of  sentiment  as  to  who  should  be  chosen. 
With  one  voice  North  Carolinians  named  him,  Zebulon 
B.  Vance,  and  no  one  questions  that  the  naming  was 
justly  made. 

I  knew  him  from  my  childhood  to  the  hour  of  his  death. 
He  was  devoted  to  the  University  of  North  Carolina  and 
visited  that  institution  frequently.  There  he  was  always 
a  guest  of  my  father,  who  was  a  professor  of  the  univer- 
sity. I  was  at  his  bedside  through  the  long,  long  night 
when  he  died.  It  is  a  privilege  to  join  with  Nortli  Caro- 
linians and  pay  tribute  to  his  memory. 

He  was  a  great  executive  officer.     He  was  governor  of 

North  Carolina  during  the  Civil  War,  and  as  a  result  of 

his  calm,  forceful,  determined  administration  of  the  affairs 

of  the  State  North  Carolina's  troops  were  the  best  clad 

50 


Address  of  Mr.  Smith,  of  Georgia  51 

and  the  best  fed  of  any  of  the  troops  of  the  Southern 
States. 

Of  him  it  can  justly  be  said  he  was  the  most  successful 
and  valued  governor  of  a  Southern  State  during  the  Civil 
War.  But  I  do  not  believe  North  Carolinians  for  this 
reason  selected  his  statue  for  the  Hall  of  Fame. 

He  was  a  great  legislator,  wise,  thoughtful,  tireless, 
progressive,  practical.  If  his  public  services  had  been 
Umited  to  his  legislative  career  he  would  rank  among  the 
first.  But  I  do  not  believe  North  Carolinians  for  this 
reason  selected  his  statue  for  the  Hall  of  Fame. 

He  was  a  wonderful  orator.  With  powerful  logic  he 
could  array  facts  in  simple  language,  clear  and  convincing. 
With  a  humor  and  a  wit  never  equaled,  he  could  delight 
his  audience,  while  he  charmed  them  with  his  pathos  and 
won  them  with  his  logic.  But  I  do  not  believe  North 
Carolinians  for  this  reason  selected  his  statue  for  the  Hall 
of  Fame. 

If  I  may  name  what  I  believe  placed  Zebulon  B.  Vance 
above  all  others  with  his  constituents,  I  would  say  it  was 
his  intense,  all-controlling,  all-sustaining  love  for  his  State 
and  his  people.  He  loved  them  with  a  great,  imfailing 
love.  It  was  a  love  which  imselfishly  led  him  in  his  every 
thought  and  act,  which  dominated  his  life,  which  was  his 
very  life.  There  never  was  a  moment  when  that  love 
failed  to  control  and  inspire  him  in  their  service  or  when 
he  would  not  willingly  have  died  for  his  people  and  his 
State. 

North  Carolinians  knew  how  he  loved  them,  and  they 
almost  worshiped  him  in  return.  Great  deeds  make 
great  men,  but  a  great,  unselfish  love  for  his  people  made 
every  act  of  the  life  of  this  wonderful  man  an  act  of  loyal, 
joyous  service  to  the  people  of  North  Carolina  and  to  his 
fellow  men. 

He  had  faith  in  the  power  of  love  and  rejoiced  in  the 
service  which  it  produced;  and  if  he  were  here  to  speak 
to-day,  and  were  permitted  to  select  from  liis  marv'elous 


52  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

record  a  tribute  to  his  memory  to  account  for  the  honor 
which  his  constituents  have  given  him,  I  believe  he  would 
have  us  say,  "  His  whole  life  was  given  to  the  service  of  his 
people,  he  loved  them  so;  he  loved  his  fellow  men." 

The  beautiful  lines  of  Leigh  Hunt  suggest,  but  do  not 
adequately  present,  the  love  of  this  son  of  the  old  North 
State: 

ABOU  BEN  ADHEM  AND  THE  ANGEL. 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase!) 

Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 

And  saw,  within  the  twilight  in  the  room, 

Making  it  rich,  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 

An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold. 

Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold, 

And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 

"What  wTitest  thou?"     The  vision  raised  its  head, 

And  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord 

Answered,  "The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 

"And  is  mine  one?"  said  Abou.     "Nay,  not  so," 

Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spoke  more  low, 

But  cheerily  still,  and  said,  "  I  pray  thee,  then, 

Write  me  as  one  who  loves  his  fellow  men. " 

The  angel  wrote  and  vanished.     The  next  night 

It  came  again  with  a  great  wakening  light, 

And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blest; 

And  lo!  Ben  Adhem 's  name  led  all  the  rest! 


MONDAY,  JULY  31,   1916 

A  message  from  the  House  of  Representatives,  by  J.  C. 
South,  its  Chief  Clerk,  announced  that  the  House  had 
passed  the  concurrent  resolution  (S.  Con.  Res.  24)  accept- 
ing from  the  State  of  North  Carolina  the  statue  of  Zebulon 
Baird  Vance  and  tendering  the  thanks  of  Congress  for 
the  contribution. 

The  message  also  announced  that  the  House  had  passed 
the  concurrent  resolution  (S.  Con.  Res.  25)  to  authorize 
the  printing  of  the  proceedings  in  Congress  and  in  Statuary 
Hall  relative  to  the  unveiling  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon 
Baird  Vance. 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  THE  HOUSE 

FRIDAY,  JUNE  23,  1916 

A  message  from  the  Senate,  by  Mr.  Waldorf,  one  of  its 
clerks,  announced  that  the  Senate  had  passed  the  follow- 
ing concurrent  resolutions,  in  which  the  concurrence  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  was  requested: 

Senate  concurrent  resolution  24 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  (the  House  of  Representatives  concurring),  That  the 
statue  of  ZEBtTLON  Baird  Vance,  presented  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina 
to  be  placed  in  Statuary  Hall,  is  accepted  in  the  name  of  the  United  States 
and  that  the  thanks  of  Congress  be  tendered  to  the  State  of  North  Carolina 
for  the  contribution  of  the  statue  of  one  of  its  most  eminent  citizens,  illus- 
trious for  the  high  purpose  of  his  life  and  his  distinguished  services  to  the 
State  and  Nation. 

Second.  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions,  suitably  engrossed  and  duly 
authenticated,  be  transmitted  to  the  governor  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 

Senate  concurrent  resolution  25 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  {the  House  of  Representatives  concurring).  That  there 
be  printed  and  bound  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Print- 
ing, the  proceedings  in  Congress,  together  with  the  proceedings  at  the  un- 
veiling in  Statuary  Hall,  upon  the  acceptance  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon 
Baird  VanxE  presented  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  16,500  copies,  with 
suitable  illustration,  of  which  5,000  shall  be  for  the  use  of  the  Senate  and 
10,000  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  remaining  1,500 
copies  shall  be  for  the  use  and  distribution  of  the  Senators  and  Repre- 
sentatives in  Congress  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 

Senate  concurrent  resolution  24  to  the  Committee  on 
the  Library. 

Senate  concurrent  resolution  25  to  the  Committee  on 
Printing. 

TUESDAY,  JULY  25,  1916 

Mr.  KiTCHiN.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  ask  unanimous  consent  for 
the  present  consideration  of  the  resolution  which  I  send 
to  the  desk  and  ask  to  have  read. 

The  Speaker.  The  gentleman  from  North  Carolina 
asks  unanimous  consent  for  the  present  consideration  of 
the  resolution  which  the  Clerk  will  report. 

S3 


54  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  exercises  appropriate  to  tlie  reception  and  acceptance 
from  the  State  of  North  Carolina  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  VanxE, 
erected  in  Statuary  Hall,  in  the  Capitol,  be  made  a  special  order  for  Satur- 
day, July  29,  1916,  not  later  than  3  o'clock  p.  m. 

The  Speaker.  Is  there  objection  to  the  present  con- 
sideration of  the  resolution  ? 

The  question  was  taken,  and  the  resolution  was  agreed 
to. 

SATURDAY,  JULY  20,  1916 

The  House  met  at  12  o'clock  noon,  and  was  called  to 
order  by  the  Clerk,  Hon.  South  Trimble,  who  read  the 

following  communication : 

The  Speaker's  Rooms, 
House  of  Representatives, 
Washington,  D.  C,  July  26,  iQid. 
Hon.  South  Trimble, 

Clerk  of  the  Hotise. 
I  hereby  designate  Hon.  Charles  M.  Stedman,  a  Representative  from 
North  Carolina,  to  preside  in  the  House  on  Saturday,  July  29. 

Champ  Clark. 

jMr.  Stedman  took  the  chair  as  Speaker  pro  tempore 
amid  applause. 

PRAYER  BY  REV.  HENRY  N.  COUDEN,  D.  D. 

0  Thou  great  Spirit,  infinite  in  wisdom,  power,  and  love, 
our  heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  worship  Thee  in  spirit  aiid 
in  truth  by  a  faithful,  conscientious,  and  efficient  service  in 
all  the  affairs  of  life,  that  we  may  leave  in  our  wake  a  record 
worthy  of  the  talents  Thou  hast  bestowed  upon  us,  be  they 
few  or  many.  The  special  order  of  the  day  proves  the  worth 
of  a  noble  life,  a  man  of  large  parts,  true  to  his  convictions, 
faithful  as  a  public  servant,  still  lives  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people.  His  statue  placed  in  this  Capitol  will  speak  to 
coming  generations  and  inspire  men  to  go  and  do  likewise. 
So  may  we  live  and  pass  on  to  the  glory  and  honor  of  Thy 
holy  name.     Amen. 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  The  Clerk  will  report  the 
special  order. 


Proceedings  in  the  House  55 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows: 

House  resolution  322 

Resolved,  That  exercises  appropriate  to  the  reception  and  acceptance 
from  the  State  of  Nortli  Carolina  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  VancB, 
erected  in  Statuary  Hall,  in  the  Capitol,  be  made  a  special  order  for  Satiu"- 
day,  July  29,  igi6,  not  later  than  3  o'clock  p.  m. 

Mr.  KiTCHiN.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  send  to  the  Clerk's  desk 
the  following  Senate  concurrent  resolution. 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  The  Clerk  will  report  the 
resolution. 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows : 

« 

Senate  concurrent  resolution  24 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  (the  House  of  Representatives  concurring),  That  the 
statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  presented  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina 
to  be  placed  in  Statuary  Hall,  is  accepted  in  the  name  of  the  United  States, 
and  that  the  thanks  of  Congress  be  tendered  to  the  vState  of  North  Carolina 
for  the  contribution  of  the  statue  of  one  of  its  most  eminent  citizens,  illus- 
trious for  the  high  purpose  of  his  life  and  his  distinguished  services  to  the 
State  and  Nation. 

Second.  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions,  suitably  engrossed  and  duly 
authenticated,  be  transmitted  to  the  governor  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  SMALL,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Small.  Mr.  Speaker,  these  exercises  commemorate  an 
event  of  very  great  significance  to  the  people  of  North  Carolina 
and  of  importance  to  the  Nation.  The  State  has  for  the  first 
time  taken  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  prepare  and  place 
in  Statuary  Hall  a  bronze  figure  of  one  of  her  illustrious  sons. 
He  was  in  many  respects  a  distinguished,  able,  successful  man, 
a  wise  statesman,  a  faithful  legislator,  loyal  to  his  people  and  to 
his  country.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  present  any  data  bearing 
uporf  the  biography  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  but  will  only 
advert  to  a  few  phases  in  the  life  of  that  distinguished  citizen. 

I  said  that  his  was  a  successful  life;  and  it  was.  But  what 
constitutes  success?  We  may  agree  that  heredity,  normal 
mental  powers,  training  and  education,  environment,  oppor- 
tunity, character,  persistence,  and  will  power  are  prominent 
factors.  But  there  is  no  man  so  wise  as  to  be  able  to  look  at  a 
young  man  just  blooming  into  manhood  and  with  safety  prophesy 
what  his  life  will  be,  and  at  a  younger  and  more  tender  age  the 
r61e  of  prophecy  is  even  more  difficult.  The  life  of  public  service 
is  simply  the  life  of  the  average  citizen  amplified  and  extended 
by  greater  opportunities.  The  qualities  which  make  for  the 
useful,  serviceable  life  of  the  ordinary  citizen  to  whom  no 
preferment  has  come  must  exist  substantially  in  him  who  seeks 
to  serve  in  public  station. 

Zebulon  Baird  Vance  had  two  distinct  lines  of  public 
service,  executive  and  legislative.  As  executive  of  the  State 
of  North  Carolina,  from  his  first  election  in  1862  to  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War,  he  has  come  to  be  recognized  in  history  as 
the  great  war  governor,  not  alone  entitled  to  this  distinction 
in  his  own  State,  but  in  all  the  States  of  the  Confederacy  through 
those  troublous  and  perilous  years.  His  life  as  the  chief  execu- 
tive of  his  Commonwealth  stands  out  more  resplendently, 
filled  more  largely  with  service  to  his  people  and  to  the  Con- 
federacy than  that  of  the  governor  of  any  of  those  States 
during  that  period.  There  are  said  to  have  been  several  dis- 
tinctive features  of  his  term  as  governor. 
56 


Address  of  Mr.  Small,  of  North  Carolina  57 

The  South  during  that  time  was  lacking  in  food,  munitions, 
and  clothing.  Its  manufacturing  facilities  were  meager,  its 
agriculture  was  impaired,  its  sons  in  large  degree,  larger  than 
in  the  Union  States,  were  at  the  front,  and  it  became  an  impor- 
tant question  to  secure  the  necessaries  for  the  sustenance  of 
life  and  the  prosecution  of  the  war.  It  was  he  who  maintained 
a  fleet  of  vessels,  carrying  cotton  and  other  valuable  products 
of  the  South  to  the  Continent  of  Europe,  particularly  to  Great 
Britain,  and  receiving  in  return  clothing,  munitions,  and  other 
essentials.  And  until  the  Navy  of  the  Union  had  formed 
its  cordon  of  blockade  so  tightly  around  the  southern  coast  as 
to  make  impossible  the  sailing  of  vessels  from  any  of  our  ports 
this  fleet  was  maintained  by  him  and  was  of  inestimable  benefit 
in  providing  the  necessities  of  North  Carolina  and  of  the  Con- 
federate Army. 

There  is  another  feature  of  those  troublous  times  which  we 
like  to  recall.  In  time  of  war  the  necessity  for  miUtary  law 
must  in  large  degree  prevail,  and  yet  from  the  time  of  his 
election  in  1862  until  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Johnston's  army 
there  was  never  a  period  in  North  Carolina  when  any  one  of 
its  citizens,  no  matter  how  humble,  if  his  liberty  was  restrained 
might  not  appeal  to  the  courts  of  the  State  and  have  the  cause 
of  his  detention  inquired  into.  The  great  writ  of  habeas  corpus, 
every  day  in  the  year  was  open  to  its  citizens. 

Vance,  while  aggressive,  while  loyal  to  the  cause  of  the  Con- 
federacy, which  his  State  had  joined,  was  yet  never  malevolent, 
nor  did  bitter  passion  or  prejudice  control  his  sense  of  charity 
or  becloud  his  intellect.  While  furnishing  food  to  his  own 
citizens,  he  on  more  than  one  occasion  appealed  to  the  people 
of  North  Carolina  to  divide  their  scanty  allowance  with  Union 
prisoners  incarcerated  at  Salisbury  and  at  other  points  within 
the  State.  .  In  loyalty,  in  zeal,  in  the  fine  qualities  which  go 
to  make  up  the  able  administrator,  in  the  finer  qualities  of  the 
heart  which  must  distinguish  the  true  man  in  every  cause, 
during  this  stormy  period  Vance  was  preeininent  as  a  citizen 
and  distinguished  as  an  executive. 

He  had  large  legislative  experience.  He  served  nearly  four 
years  in  this  House  prior  to  the  Civil  War,  and  he  made  friend- 
ships here  with  gentlemen  from  other  sections  of  the  country; 
and  when  they  were  divided  by  the  stress  of  that  fratricidal  war, 
when  he  was  in  prison  at  the  end,  many  were  the  kind  messages 


58  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

of  sjrmpathy  and  generous  acts  which  came  from  his  old  friends 
of  the  North.  They  recalled  and  cherished  the  qualities  of  the 
manly  and  courageous  friend  of  ante-bellum  days. 

In  1878  he  was  called  from  the  executive  chair,  having  again 
been  elected  governor  of  North  Carolina  in  1876,  to  a  seat  in 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  He  served  there  until  his  death 
in  April,  1894.  Up  to  that  time  there  were  perhaps  varying 
opinions  as  to  his  ability.  He  had  a  gift  of  humor  which  many 
regarded  as  an  impediment  to  the  highest  legislative  achieve- 
ments, and  full  opportunity  had  not  yet  come  to  him  to  remove 
the  skepticism  which  existed  in  the  minds  of  some  as  to  his 
mental  strength  and  caliber.  But  those  16  years  of  service 
in  the  Senate  established  his  name  for  all  time  as  the  peer  of 
any  who  served  in  that  body.  Beck  of  Kentucky,  Bate  of  Ten- 
nessee, Hoar  of  Massachusetts,  Chandler  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
other  eminent  Senators,  colleagues  of  his  during  that  period, 
both  during  his  time  of  service  and  when  they  performed  the 
sad  duty  of  expressing  their  estimate  of  him  in  the  hour  of 
death,  gave  unstinted  expression  to  their  admiration  of  his 
quaUties  as  a  man,  his  abilities  as  a  legislator,  his  patriotic  life 
of  service  to  his  country. 

Mr.  Speaker,  what  constitutes  the  highest  type  of  the  legisla- 
tor ?  In  a  democracy  he  must  represent  his  constituency,  and  yet 
not  servilely,  not  to  the  extent  of  surrendering  his  conscience  or 
his  intellectual  integrity.  He  must  be  a  leader,  and  yet  not 
lead  with  such  independence  of  thought  or  action  as  to  remove 
him  from  the  line  of  a  representative  of  his  people.  There  is  a 
happy  medium  between  the  two.  Because  a  legislator  some- 
times goes  contrary  to  what  seems  to  be  the  current  of  public 
sentiment  among  his  constituency  or  the  country  it  does  not 
mean  that  he  is  misrepresenting  them.  There  are  times  when 
a  member  of  a  legislative  body  must  appeal  from  the  current  of 
what  seems  to  be  public  opinion  to  the  intelligence,  to  the  wis- 
dom, to  the  patriotism,  to  the  love  of  truth  of  those  whom  he 
represents.  I  think  that  perhaps  the  study  of  no  man  who  has 
graced  the  Halls  of  Congress  will  more  nearly  typify  the  happy 
combination  of  him  who  desires  to  be  a  true  servant  of  the 
people  and  at  the  same  time  preser\'e  his  mental  integrity  and 
his  sense  of  honor  than  did  Zebulon  B.  Vance. 

Vance  was  possessed  of  a  rare  gift  of  humor.  It  is  not  an 
exaggeration  to  state  that  in  all  the  history  of  North  Carolina 


Address  of  Mr.  Small,  of  North  Carolina  59 

the  name  of  no  man  will  parallel  that  of  Vance.  His  humor 
was  not  studied  or  forced.  It  was  not  the  result  of  a  retentive 
memory.  It  flowed  as  naturally  as  the  babbling  brook,  and  was 
just  as  sweet  and  as  tender  as  the  perfume  of  a  flower;  nothing 
unkind,  no  thrust  which  wounded,  but  only  that  ineffable  sen,se 
of  humor  which  enlivened  the  situation  and  confused  an  antago- 
nist. I  doubt  if  anyone,  even  those  who  remember  him  best, 
can  recall  a  single  incident  in  which  that  divine  sense  of  humor 
of  his  ever  left  a  wound. 

Mr.  Speaker,  there  is  one  other  characteristic  of  Vance  to 
which  I  would  like  to  advert.  No  man  in  public  life  can  ever 
achieve  a  lasting  reputation  who  does  not  combine,  with  ability 
and  industry  and  patriotism,  a  love  of  his  fellow  men.  As  the 
apostle  said,  "  Faith,  hope  and  charity,  but  the  greatest  of 
these  is  charity."  Reading  as  I  have  done  to  some  extent  the 
history  of  the  great  Civil  War  upon  both  sides,  I  sometimes 
have  dwelt  with  astonishment  on  the  history  of  Lincoln's 
administration.  There  were  men  at  that  time  who  seemed  to 
tower  above  him  in  strength  and  in  public  estimation. 

To  recur  at  this  time  to  the  unkind  expressions  in  the  public 
prints  and  upon  the  rostrum  about  this  man  of  trials  and  of 
sorrows  brings  wonder  to  us  at  this  remote  period.  But 
whose  name  to-day  among  those  engaged  in  that  great  struggle 
for  the  preservation  of  the  Union  stands  more  preeminent  than 
that  of  Lincoln?  And  the  one  quality  by  which  that  deserved 
eminence  has  been  achieved  was  the  patient  love  and  charity 
which  day  after  day  was  manifested  by  him  in  his  dealings  with 
his  fellows  and  in  his  attitude  toward  the  States  of  the  South, 
whom  he  called  the  erring  brothers,  and  to  those  who  difi'ered 
with  him  upon  his  own  side  in  that  titanic  contest.  Vance  was 
aggressive;  he  had  the  triumphant  spirit;  he  loved  personal 
success.  Yet  there  never  was  a  day  in  his  life  when  personal 
success  was  to  him  of  greater  value  than  the  good  opinion  and 
the  love  of  his  fellow  man. 

Mr.  Speaker,  for  all  time  to  come,  as  the  history  of  North 
Carolina  shall  be  written  and  rewritten,  as  her  sons  shall  come 
and  go  in  the  service  of  their  community,  their  State,  and  their 
country,  with  no  disposition  to  exaggerate,  I  can  say,  in  all 
truth,  that  no  name  will  shine  brighter,  no  life  will  be  a  larger 
inspiration,  than  that  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance.     [Applause.] 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  HOOD,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker  :  In  response  to  legislative  invitation  by 
act  of  Congress  of  July  2,  1864,  the  great  State  of  North 
Carolina  contributes  to  the  National  Statuary  Hall  a 
bronze  statue  of  Zebulon  B.  Vance. 

The  people  of  North  Carolina  with  one  accord  decided 
that  he  was  "illustrious  for  his  historical  renown  and  for 
distinguished  civil  and  military  service  "  rendered  to  the 
State  and  Nation,  and  deserved  a  niche  in  the  Pantheon  of 
the  Republic.  Side  by  side  with  Washington,  Lee,  Web- 
ster, Calhoun,  Morton,  Ingalls,  Benton,  Houston,  and  other 
great  statesmen  and  warriors  of  oiur  land,  the  massive 
figure  of  Zebulon  B.  Vance  towers  as  an  inspiration  to 
the  thousands  who,  beholding  it,  studying  the  life  and 
character  of  this  great  North  Carolinian,  will  be  prompted 
to  greater  service,  higher  ideals,  and  nobler  Uving. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  follow  minutely  the  history  of 
the  "Old  North  State's"  statesman,  lawyer,  orator, 
patriot,  scholar,  and  friend,  nor  delineate  with  any  degree 
of  elaboration  his  wonderful  traits,  splendid  character- 
istics, and  unique  personality. 

Leave  thee  alone  for  a  comparison. 

I  realize  that  it  would  be  superfluous  to  do  so,  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  others  have  done  this  with  marked  pre- 
cision and  ability. 

I  simply  desire,  as  one  of  a  younger  generation,  to  pay  a 
feeble  tribute  to  his  memory.  Although  of  fine  parentage, 
he  began  life's  struggle  in  an  humble  home  under  adverse 
circumstances,  his  father  having  died  when  he  was  quite 
young.  Dinging  the  early  years  of  his  life  he  supported 
a  widowed  mother,  acquired  an  education,  and  with  an 
energy  and  determination  that  knew  no  defeat  carv^ed  his 
way  to  fame. 
60 


Address  of  Mr.  Hood,  of  North  Carolina  6i 

After  attaining  an  education  through  his  individual 
efforts  and  the  sacrifices  of  his  godly  mother,  in  1854, 
soon  after  reaching  his  majority,  he  received  his  license 
to  practice  law,  locating  in  liis  mountain  home — Asheville. 

"With  new-fledged  hope  still  fluttering  in  his  breast" 
he  began  his  memorable  career. 

He  was  elected  solicitor  of  the  covmty  court,  State 
legislator,  twice  to  Congress,  three  times  governor,  and 
four  times  as  United  States  Senator. 

In  addition  to  the  service  rendered  in  civil  life,  upon  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  organized  and  was  made 
captain  of  the  "Rough  and  Ready  Guards,"  which  com- 
pany was  called  to  the  front  immediately,  and  soon  there- 
after, on  account  of  his  gallant  services  in  battle,  he 
was  elected  colonel  of  the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina 
Regiment. 

With  a  public  service  of  nearly  a  half  centmy,  in  peace 
and  in  war,  he  filled  every  position  intrusted  to  him  by 
the  people  with  fideUty,  credit,  and  distinction.  The 
people  loved  to  honor  hifn ;  they  knew  he  was  their  friend. 
He  was  idolized  by  all  classes ;  the  rank  and  file  felt  that 
he'  never  failed  to  use  his  best  efforts  for  their  interests 
and  welfare. 

His  hopes,  aspirations,  desires,  and  ambition  seemed  to 
be  to  serve  his  coimtry  well  and  faithfully.  His  heart 
seemed  to  throb  in  harmony  with  that  of  the  masses,  and 
he  longed  to  do  everything  in  his  power  for  them  at  all 
times  and  under  any  conditions. 

Senator  Blackburn  made  the  following  statement  in  his 
eulogy  of  Senator  Vance: 

This  man's  character,  Mr.  President,  is  best  illustrated  by  an  instance 
with  which  I  became  acquainted  only  within  the  last  week  and  but  for 
which  I  would  not  have  asked  indulgence  of  the  Senate  to  attest  my  love 
to  his  memory.  The  general  commanding  the  armies  of  this  covmtry  told 
me  less  than  a  week  ago  that  when  the  war  ended  he  was  left  in  command 
of  the  district  of  North  Carolina.  He  received  an  order  peremptory  from 
the  War  Office  here  to  arrest  Gov.  Vance,  capture  all  his  papers  and  cor- 
respondence, and  send  them  to  the  War  Department.  He  said  he  knew  full 
well  that  Vance  was  not  seeking  to  flee  the  country  or  avoid  arrest,  but 


62  Statue  of  Zehtdon  Baird  Vance 

that  he  sent  an  officer  up  to  his  mountain  home  with  instructions  to  capture 
every  paper  that  belonged  to  his  official  or  his  personal  correspondence 
and  bring  them  there;  and  the  officer  did. 

Gen.  Schofield  sent  Gov.  Vance,  with  those  papers  and  records,  here 
to  the  then  Secretary  of  War.  We  all  remember  that  that  was  Penn- 
sylvania's great  war  officer,  Stanton,  whom  some  people  thought  was  not 
mild,  whom  some  thought  was  even  savage,  but  who,  in  my  judgment, 
in  point  of  efficiency  and  ability,  was  the  greatest  war  minister  that  the 
earth  has  known  since  the  days  of  the  elder  Camot  of  France. 

Gen.  Schofield  sent  Gov.  Vance  here,  and  among  those  records  he  sent 
the  book  which  contained  every  particle  of  correspondence  that  Vance 
had  ever  held  with  the  President  of  the  dead  Confederacy.  All  was 
open  and  Stanton  examined  it  all.  When  he  did  and  saw  what  this  man 
had  done,  how  persistent  his  efforts  had  been  to  ameliorate  the  conditions 
of  Federal  prisoners  and  to  assuage  the  horrors  of  war,  the  great  Secretary 
said  to  him,  "Upon  your  own  record  you  stand  acquitted;  you  are  at  lib- 
erty to  go  where  you  will. " 

[Applause.] 

Thus  you  see  that  notwithstanding  the  sufferings  of  his 
own  people,  under  such  trying  conditions,  he  was  always 
ready  and  willing  to  relieve  the  suffering  of  Federal  pris- 
oners.    This  is  an  index  to  his  true  character. 

I  can  not  do  better  than  embody  as  part  of  my  re- 
marks a  portion  of  the  magnificent  address  delivered  by 
Hon.  Charles  W.  Tillett,  of  Charlotte,  soon  after  the 
death  of  Senator  Vance,  which  is  as  follows: 

Zeb  Vance  is  dead!  Soldier,  statesman,  patriot,  friend!  In  war  and 
peace,  the  one  of  all  her  sons  to  whom  his  mother  State  looked  most  for 
succor  and  relief;  and  can  it  be  that  in  the  days  to  come,  when  dreaded 
dangers  threaten  all  around,  we  nevermore  can  call  for  him,  before  whose 
matchless  powers  in  days  gone  by  our  enemies  have  quailed  and  fled? 

Zeb  Vance  is  dead!  His  was  a  name  you  could  conjure  with,  and 
ofttimes  in  the  past,  when  this  loved  Commonwealth  of  ours  has  been 
stirred  to  its  inmost  depths  and  men  knew  not  which  way  to  go  nor  what 
to  say,  tlie  cry  was  sounded  forth  that  "Vance  is  coming,"  and  from  the 
mountain  fastnesses  of  the  west  and  the  everglades  of  the  eastern  plain  the 
people  came  who  never  would  come  forth  to  hear  another  living  man,  and 
gathering  around  in  countless  multitudes  they  hung  upon  his  every  word 
with  eager  eye  and  listening  ear,  and  all  he  told  them  they  believed  because 
"our  Vance"  had  said  it. 

Zeb  Vance  is  dead!  And  where  shall  come  the  man  to  tell  tlic  world 
the  soul-inspiring  story  of  his  hero  life;  how  coming  forth  from  humble 
home  he  baffled  and  overcame  the  fates  that  would  have  crushed  beneath 
their  feet  a  man  of  meaner  mold ;  how  serving  faithfully  and  well  in  every 
trust  committed  unto  him  he  soon  won  first  place  in  tlie  hearts  of  all  his 


Address  of  Mr.  Hood,  of  North  Carolina  63 


countrymen  and  held  that  place  for  threescore  years  unto  the  end;  how 
•when  his  native  land  was  plunged  in  throes  of  civil  strife  he  went  forth  in 
the  front  ranks  to  defend  and  save  her  and  fought  with  valor  all  her  foes; 
how  called  to  rule  as  chief  executive  in  times  that  tried  men 's  souls  he  ruled 
so  wisely  and  so  well;  how  when  the  war  was  over  and  the  cause  was  lost, 
when  down  upon  his  bleeding,  prostrate  country  came  the  hordes  of  vam- 
pires from  the  North  to  suck  the  last  remaining  drops  of  life-blood  from  his 
people,  he  rose  with  power  almost  divine  and  drove  tliem  back;  and  then 
with  gentle  hand  he  caused  the  wounds  to  heal  and  his  loved  land  to  pros- 
per once  again  as  in  the  years  gone  by ;  and  how  at  last,  when  after  years  of 
faithful,  honest  toil,  upon  his  noble  form  was  laid  the  icy  hand  of  death,  he 
bowed  his  head  in  meek  submission  to  His  will  and  yielded  up  to  God  his 
manly  soul?  Who  can  be  found  to  sing  the  praise  of  such  a  one,  and  who 
can  speak  the  anguish  of  the  people's  hearts  at  his  untimely  death? 

Zeb  Vance  is  dead!  He  was  the  friend  and  tribune  of  the  people. 
Though  he  rose  to  place  where  he  held  converse  with  the  great  and  mighty 
of  the  earth,  his  sympathetic  heart  was  open  to  all  mankind,  and  his  strong 
arm  was  first  stretched  forth  to  lift  the  lowliest  of  the  sons  of  men  that 
cried  to  him  for  help,  and  in  the  Nation's  Senate  halls  his  voice  was  ever 
lifted  up  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  downtrodden  and  oppressed  against  the 
favored  classes  and  the  money  kings. 

I  believe,  Mr.  Speaker,  that  the  sublimest,  most  beauti- 
ftil  and  grandest  of  God's  creation  is  that  man  who  loves 
his  fellow  man  and  observes  the  golden  rule — 

Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them. 

Ever  ready  to  minister  to  their  wants  and  necessities, 
dispelling  the  clouds  of  gloom  and  adversity,  and  spread- 
ing sunshine,  radiance,  and  happiness,  such  a  man  was 
Zebulon  B.  Vance. 

Thousands  have  been  made  happier,  brighter,  and  bet- 
ter as  a  result  of  his  noble  and  god-like  life. 

He  has  builded  a  monument  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men greater  than  human  skill  can  devise  or  human  hands 
construct. 

The  tender,  affectionate  memory  of  self-sacrifice  and 
glorious  deeds  done  for  friends  and  constituents  will  for- 
ever linger  as  "an  alabaster  box  of  precious  ointment." 

So  lives  he  still,  in  soul  and  heart. 
Heroic  and  sublime. 

[Applause  J 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  POU,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  It  was  very  fine  that  the  people  of  North 
Carolina,  through  their  Representatives,  should  decree  the 
placing  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon  B.  Vance  in  Statuary 
Hall  with  such  unanimity.  The  State  has  given  to  the 
world  many  great  men,  but  of  them  all  North  Carolina, 
his  native  State,  said  this  son  of  mine  by  his  life  hath 
earned  a  place  in  the  Nation's  Hall  of  Fame. 

And  as  I  look  upon  that  stately  form  I  am  strong  in 
the  faith  that  the  virtues  more  than  any  others  of  the 
many  possessed  b)'  Senator  Vance  which  influenced  our 
people  to  place  his  statue  in  this  building  were  his  rugged, 
unquestioned  honesty,  and  his  deep-rooted  love  for  his 
people — the  latter  being  the  overruling  passion  of  his  life. 

The  whole  world  is  always  looking  for  the  man  who 
loves  every  other  man  more  than  he  does  a  dollar.  Thank 
God  there  are  such  men,  and  out  of  the  agony  of  war  poor, 
stricken  North  Carolina  found  such  a  man,  used  him  in 
rebuilding  her  own  crushed  fortunes,  and  later  on  offered 
him  to  the  Nation.  He  left  behind  a  glorious  memory. 
He  did  not  live  in  vain. 

His  heart  throbbed  with  love  and  sympathy  to  the  very 
end.  There  was  no  gloom  in  his  philosophy,  no  sting  in 
his  boundless  humor,  no  offense  in  his  remonstrance.  He 
looked  at  things  with  kindly  eyes.  He  loved  us  all.  He 
felt  keenly  for  the  sorrows  of  his  fellow  man.  All  classes 
of  his  beloved  native  State  will  long  remember  him  with 
tenderness  and  gratitude.  He  taught  by  his  life  the 
beautiful  gospel  of  humanity.  No  king,  no  conqueror,  no 
magistrate,  no  ruler  ever  bequeathed  a  fairer  legacy  to 
his  people.  He  made  no  schisms.  He  inspired  no  con- 
flicts save  in  the  cause  of  justice.  He  lit  no  fires  of  hate. 
He  despised  money  save  when  it  made  man  happy. 
64 


Address  of  Mr.  Pou,  of  North  Carolina  65 


Aiid,  Mr.  Speaker,  from  the  hour  when  he  kneeled  at 
his  mother's  knee  to  his  last  hour  upon  this  earth  he  fol- 
lowed with  unfaltering  footsteps  the  shining  star  of  Truth. 
[Applause.] 


Mr.  Small  took  the  chair  as  Speaker  pro  tempore. 

60551°— 17— 5 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  STEDMAN,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  The  elevation  of  the  hmnan  race,  its  ad- 
vancement physically,  intellectually,  and  morally  has 
commanded  the  highest  and  most  imselfish  effort?  of 
heroic  men  and  women  in  every  age.  It  has  long  been 
an  estabhshed  truth  that  the  destiny  of  every  individual 
is  controlled  in  a  large  degree  by  the  ideals  established  in 
their  early  days.  The  great  ideals  which  the  youth  of 
every  land  should  strive  to  form,  emulate,  and  cherish 
are  the  highest  standards  of  physical,  intellectual,  and 
moral  excellence  in  their  respective  spheres.  To  a  marked 
extent  they  are  interdependent.  It  need  not  be  said  that 
the  last  named  far  outweighs  the  former  in  its  influence 
upon  the  life  of  all.  Wonderful  is  the  effect  of  environ- 
ment on  ideals  so  created — of  association,  of  scenery,  of 
paintings,  of  sculpture,  of  nature  in  all  its  wondrous  and 
varied  charms,  of  forest,  of  stream,  of  moimtain,  of  ocean. 
The  history  of  the  people  of  all  times  verifies  the  state- 
ment that  collectively  and  individually  we  reflect  our 
environment. 

The  Greek  youth  of  old  represented  the  highest  type  of 
physical  perfection  the  world  has  ever  known.  As  the 
boy  grew  into  manhood  he  witnessed  the  Olympic  games. 
He  rejoiced  in  the  applause  which  greeted  the  victor.  He 
returned  home  with  the  supreme  desire  in  his  heart  that 
by  rigid  asceticism  and  tmceasing  athletic  practice  he  might 
some  day  wear  the  crown  of  wild  olive. 

The  child  of  Italy  looks  with  rapture  and  delight  upon 
the  golden  splendor  of  its  skies,  wanders  amidst  the  crea- 
tions of  art  which  everywhere  adorn  its  public  buildings, 
and  lies  down  at  night  to  dream  of  the  happy  days  when 
his  own  work,  chiseled  in  marble  or  painted  upon  canvas, 
shall  rival  that  of  the  great  masters,  which  has  led  captive 
his  heart  and  his  imagination. 

66 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  67 

But  there  is  a  force  which  fascinates  and  entrances  the 
minds  of  all,  whether  in  the  glory  of  youth,  in  the  me- 
ridian of  manhood,  or  in  the  decline  of  age.  It  is  more 
impressive  and  lasting  than  the  golden  splendor  of  the 
ocean  when  lighted  up  by  the  rays  of  the  sun,  than  the 
silent  and  majestic  grandeur  of  the  mountain,  than  the 
most  costly  temple  reared  by  the  skill  of  man,  than  any 
landscape  arrayed  in  nature's  most  attractive  garb.  It  is 
a  vision  of  a  man  who  bears  the  temptations  of  victory 
without  seduction  and  the  ordeal  of  suffering  without  dis- 
may— a  man  set  apart  by  Providence  from  the  mass  of 
humanity,  that  by  his  exalted  mental  and  moral  endow- 
ments he  may  stand  forever  as  a  mighty  rock  in  the 
ocean,  as  a  beacon  light  through  all  ages. 

Profoundly  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  in- 
fluence which  will  be  exerted  upon  the  lives  and  fortunes 
of  the  many  thousand  visitors  who  throng  to  tliis  beautiful 
and  attractive  Capitol,  as  well  as  upon  the  thoughts  of 
national  legislators  who  assemble  here;  by  the  environ- 
ment of  exlialted  thought  and  by  reflection  upon  the  great 
qualities  which  elevate  and  adorn  humanity,  the  Thirty- 
eighth  Congress  of  the  United  States  diuing  its  first  ses- 
sion in  1 864  enacted  a  bill  for  the  construction  of  Statuary 
Hall  and  authorized  the  President — 

to  invite  each  and  all  of  the  States  to  provide  and  furnish  statues,  in  marble 
or  bronze,  not  exceeding  two  in  number  from  each  State,  of  deceased  per- 
sons who  have  been  citizens  thereof  and  illustrious  for  their  historic  renown 
or  for  distinguished  civil  or  military  services,  such  as  each  State  shall  de- 
termine to  be  worthy  of  this  national  commemoration;  and  when  so  fxxr- 
nished  the  same  shall  be  placed  in  the  old  Hall  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States,  which  is  hereby  set  apart, 
or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  as  a  national  Statuary  Hall. 

Gladly  accepting  tlie  invitation  thus  extended,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  North  Carolina,  during  the  year  1907, 
adopted  without  a  dissenting  voice  a  resolution  author- 
izing the  governor  and  council  of  state  to  place  a  statue 
of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance  in  Statuary  Hall.  The  bill 
was  introduced  by  Hon.  J.  C.  Buxton,  senator  from  For- 
syth Cotmty.     No  man  or  woman  living  in  North  Carolina 


68  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

doubts  that  above  all  others  he  is  preeminently  entitled 
to  this  distinction.  In  pursuance  of  tliat  resolution,  Gov. 
Craig,  of  North  Carolina,  appointed  a  commission  to  see 
that  in  all  respects  the  work  was  properly  done.  You  will 
know  how  faithfully  and  efficiently  the  commission  has 
discharged  its  duty  when  you  look  upon  the  splendid 
bronze  statue  of  North  Carolina's  illustrious  and  best- 
beloved  son,  unveiled  in  Statuary  Hall,  and  which  it  is 
our  grateful  pleasmre  to  accept. 

Statuary  Hall  was  not  constructed  as  a  monument  to 
preserve  the  memory  of  the  illustrious  dead  and  nothing 
more.  It  was  intended  as  a  shrine  to  be  preserved  under 
the  fostering  care  of  the  National  Government  to  which 
the  youth  of  our  land  may  come  with  ever-increasing  num- 
bers in  the  recmring  years  and  gaze  witli  awe  and  deUght 
upon  the  greatest  and  best  citizens  of  the  Republic  and 
learn  from  their  lives  the  lesson  of  virtue  in  its  broadest 
sense  and  all  that  it  implies. 

To  what  better  school  for  reflection  could  a  young  man 
or  woman  be  sent  than  to  a  great  temple,  where  hung  upon 
its  walls  are  the  portraits  and  embedded  in  its  niches  are 
the  statues  of  those  who  by  their  virtues  in  private  life 
or  their  valor  in  war  have  brought  renown  and  glory  to 
their  native  land  ? 

The  traveler  from  distant  lands  who  sojourns  in  London 
will  find  his  way  to  Trafalgar  Square.  His  eyes  will  be 
fixed  upon  the  monument  to  the  greatest  naval  hero  the 
world  has  ever  known.  He  will  hear  the  booming  of 
Nelson's  cannon,  as  their  echo  reverberates  from  Tra- 
falgar to  the  British  Channel,  telling  the  world  that  the 
contest  with  Napoleon  is  not  imequal  so  long  as  English 
blood  maintains  the  fight.  But  with  that  echo  comes 
the  soimd  of  the  admiral's  trumpet,  more  distinct,  forever 
to  linger  in  the  memory  of  Nelson's  countrymen — 
"England  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty."  And  you 
leave  Trafalgar  Square  feeling  and  knowing  that  a  supreme 
sense  of  duty  leads  to  lasting  renown,  which  remains 
unwithered   when   the   garlands   of   military   and    naval 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  69 

glory  have  faded  forever.  And  you  wander  to  Blenheim 
Castle.  Its  walls  are  covered  with  the  portraits  of  John 
Churchill,  Duke  of  Marlborough,  and  paintings  of  the  mem- 
orable fields  upon  which  he  won  his  glory  and  overthrew 
the  armies  of  Louis  XIV,  led  by  his  greatest  commanders. 
And  then  you  will  think  of  the  avarice  and  meanness  of 
the  man  whose  statues  surround  you  and  whose  face  looks 
down  upon  you,  and  all  the  memories  of  Blenheim  and 
Ramillies  can  not  take  the  stain  or  the  tarnish  from  the 
marble  and  bronze.  And  your  lieart  tells  you  that  the 
love  of  money  is  incompatible  with  true  greatness  and 
unselfish  patriotism. 

Perhaps  from  England  you  may  cross  the  Channel  and 
go  to  the  gay — I  will  not  say  the  happy — capital  of  her 
ancient  and  inveterate  foe.  You  will  seek  the  Mausoleum 
of  Napoleon.  You  will  stand  by  the  splendid  sepulcher 
which  contains  his  ashes,  brought  from  the  island  of  St. 
Helena  to  be  deposited  upon  the  banks  of  the  Seine 
amongst  the  people  who  witnessed  his  glory  and  his 
crimes.  With  his  image  in  your  mind,  you  will  traverse 
the  Italian  plains,  the  valleys  of  the  Danube  and  the 
Rhine,  stand  by  the  banks  of  the  Vistula,  and  linger  upon 
the  shores  of  the  Neimen.  Lodi,  Areola,  Marengo,  Aus- 
terlitz,  Wagram,  Eylau,  and  Friedland  crown  him  with 
more  than  imperial  splendor.  You  see  his  sun  go  down 
in  blood  and  gloom  upon  the  field  of  Waterloo,  but  the 
horizon  of  his  life  is  still  resplendent  with  the  luster  of  his 
unrivaled  military  achievements.  A  fair  and  beautiful 
land  drenched  in  blood  and  white  with  the  bones  of 
youthful  conscripts  lies  before  you.  Your  spirit  cries 
aloud — 

It  is  vanity  of  vanity:  his  whole  life  was  vanity. 

You  joyfully  turn  to  the  monuments  which  everywhere 
mark  the  landscape  in  your  own  land.  You  find  your 
way  with  eager  step  to  its  beautiful  Capitol.  You  wander 
to  Statuary  Hall.  Your  eyes  rest  upon  the  statues  of  the 
mighty  dead,  the  busts  of  Washington,  of  Jefferson,  of 
Lincoln,  of  R.  H.  Lee. 


yo  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

What  a  story  of  self-denial,  of  truth,  of  beauty,  of  valor, 
of  gentleness,  of  all  the  virtues  which  adorn  and  beautify 
humanity  their  lives  declare  to  you  as  you  stand  before 
them,  whether  their  images  and  features  be  portrayed  by 
the  painter's  canvas  or  the  sculptor's  art. 

The  bronze  image  of  Vance  is  before  you,  selected  by 
his  grateful  State  as  worthy  of  the  resting  place  where  the 
great  and  good  of  our  Republic  sleep. 

When  you  look  upon  his  statue  will  you  simply  con- 
template the  features  and  say  that  the  work  is  well  done 
and  that  the  figure  upon  the  pedestal  was  worthy  of  being 
so  perpetuated  and  then  pass  on  ?  Are  you  satisfied  alone 
with  the  grandeur  which  lights  up  his  manly  face?  Not 
at  all.  His  whole  character  comes  in  review  before  you 
and  fastens  itself  indelibly  upon  your  mind. 

This  is  an  occasion  intended  rather  to  signify  our  accept- 
ance of  his  statue,  one  worthy  of  the  sculptor's  highest 
art,  which  has  been  recently  unveiled  in  Statuary  Hall, 
than  to  give  a  biographical  sketch  of  his  life.  I  will  not 
speak  of  the  early  days  of  his  boyhood,  so  prophetic  of  the 
splendor  of  his  future  career,  of  those  elements  of  his 
character  creating  a  personality  which  charmed  and 
delighted  all  whose  good  fortune  it  was  to  meet  him, 
which  made  him  the  center  of  attraction  alike  in  the  abodes 
of  the  poor  and  the  humble  as  well  as  in  the  mansions  of 
the  rich  and  powerful,  of  his  ready  and  unfailing  wit, 
of  his  tender  sympathies,  of  his  unselfish  charities,  of  his 
deeds  of  kindness  extended  to  all  in  distress  when,  the 
opportunity  came  to  him  to  assist  them. 

Years  ago,  on  the  23d  of  April,  1895,  a  few  months  after 
his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  14th  of  April,  1894, 
many  eulogies  were  delivered  commemorative  of  his  life, 
of  his  attractive  personality,  of  his  splendid  achievements, 
now  and  for  all  time  to  come  the  pride  and  glory  of  North 
Carolina. 

But  as  monuments  should  not  only  be  the  images  of 
those  whom  they  represent  but  are  intended  also  to  call 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  71 

the  attention  of  posterity  to  their  leading  characteristics, 
by  which  they  were  enabled  to  be  of  service  to  all  human- 
ity as  well  as  to  their  own  country,  it  is  proper  and  ap- 
propriate to  mention  to-day,  briefly  at  least,  some  of  those 
great  qualities  possessed  by  him  which  are  ever  essential 
to  glorious  achievements. 

His  life  was  picturesque,  eventful,  and  elevating.  The 
beauty  and  grandeur  of  nature  in  the  region  where  he  was 
bom  and  reared  gave  a  majestic  character  to  his  thoughts. 

A  supreme  love  of  truth,  a  lofty  and  generous  patriotism, 
a  forgetfulness  of  self,  moral  courage,  personal  fearlessness, 
absolute  sincerity  in  word,  in  thought,  and  in  deed;  these, 
with  an  intense  love  of  humanity,  constituted  the  basis  of 
his  character,  which  will  ever  be  resplendent  in  the  galaxy 
of  great  names  which  America  has  furnished  to  the  world. 

Nature  had  endowed  him  with  a  rare  and  wonderful  gift 
of  eloquence,  the  power  of  which  seldom  failed  to  carry 
every  audience  by  storm  and  enabled  him  to  impress  his 
hearers  with  the  truth  of  his  own  convictions.  The  effect 
of  his  oratory  can  be  best  illustrated  by  a  most  remarkable 
incident  occiuring  during  the  Civil  War. 

The  time  for  which  the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina 
Regiment  had  enlisted — one  year — ^had  expired.  He  was 
the  first  colonel  of  that  famous  regiment,  whose  name  will 
gild  with  splendor  the  pages  of  history  so  long  as  the 
world  loves  endming  courage  and  patriotic  heroism. 

The  men  were  packing  their  knapsacks  and  preparing 
for  their  journey  home.  They  were  singing  gay  songs  of 
happiness  in  anticipation  of  meeting  again  those  so  near 
to  their  hearts.  The  fathers  of  many  of  the  young  soldiers 
had  arrived  at  camp  to  accompany  them. 

Vance  ordered  the  drum  to  be  soimded  and  calling  the 
men  together  addressed  them.  He  luged  them  to  reenUst, 
to  protect  the  honor  and  glory  of  North  Carolina.  The 
sweet  and  happy  memories  of  their  homes  faded  from 
their  vision  as  he  appealed  to  their  supreme  sense  of 
duty  in  an  effort,  pronounced  by  those  who  heard  it,  to 


72  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

be  unequaled  and  unrivaled.  Every  man  in  the  regiment 
reenlisted  as  they  cheered  for  Vance,  and  then  sang  in 
full  chorus  "The  Old  North  State  forever." 

His  military  career  was  full  of  honor  and  glory,  but  was 
of  brief  duration.  He  raised  a  company  in  Buncombe 
Coimty,  N.  C. — the  Rough  and  Ready  Guards — which  was 
organized  on  the  4th  of  May,  1861,  with  Vance  as  captain. 
This  company  was  placed  in  the  Fovirteenth  Regiment  of 
North  Carolina  troops.  In  the  fall  of  1861  he  was  elected 
colonel  of  the  Twenty-sixth  Regiment. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1862,  the  battle  of  Newbem  was 
fought.  He  greatly  distinguished  himself  by  his  coolness, 
skill,  and  utter  indifference  to  danger.  Soon  thereafter 
his  regiment  was  ordered  to  Virginia,  and  was  actively 
engaged  in  the  seven  days'  fight  around  Richmond. 

At  Malvern  Hill,  on  July  3,  1862,  he  attracted  the 
admiration  of  all  who  witnessed  liis  splendid  conduct. 

In  August,  1862,  he  was  elected  governor  of  North 
Carolina.  He  did  not  seek  the  office  and  did  not  desire  it. 
He  declared  publicly  that  the  only  honor  he  coveted  was 
to  lead  the  brave  men  intrusted  to  his  command.  In 
obedience  to  their  wishes  and  the  recognized  preference  of 
the  people  of  North  Carolina  for  him,  above  all  others,  to 
conduct  the  affairs  of  the  State,  he  yielded,  and  in  its 
hour  of  peril  was  inaugurated  on  the  8th  of  September, 
1862. 

There  has  been  no  period  of  time  in  the  history  of  the 
State  when  its  people  were  so  beleaguered  with  obstacles 
which  threatened  the  destruction  of  their  aspirations  and 
hopes,  and  of  all  that  was  dear  to  their  hearts,  than  during 
his  administration. 

Sustained  by  his  unselfish  and  devoted  love,  their  efforts, 
directed  by  his  consummate  ability,  their  fortitude  and 
unconquerable  spirit  triumphed  over  every  misfortune, 
and  they  emerged  from  the  chaos  of  ruin  encircled  with  a 
halo  of  renown  which  shall  live  untarnished  and  undimmed 
through  all  the  years  to  come.     [Applause.] 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  73 

His  administration  was  illustrious  for  its  many  achieve- 
ments which  commanded  the  admiration  of  men  in  those 
perilous  days;  but  its  crowning  glory,  in  the  estimation 
of  all,  whether  friends  to  the  cause  of  the  Union  or  adher- 
ents of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  was  the  untiring  care, 
the  provident  wisdom,  and  unstinted  labor  given  to  pro- 
vide every  possible  comfort  for  North  Carolina  soldiers 
and  their  helpless  wives  and  children.  To  this  object 
above  all  others  Gov.  Vance  devoted  the  best  energies 
of  a  great  and  active  mind. 

Of  the  success  of  his  efforts  I  will  not  speak  to-day,  as 
recently,  upon  another  occasion,  I  have  referred  to  it  at 
length  in  an  address  delivered  at  a  Confederate  camp  in 
this  city.  Suffice  it  to  say  that,  under  his  administration 
and  due  to  his  foresight,  North  Carolina  not  only  clothed 
her  own  troops  dirring  the  entire  war  but  furnished  cloth- 
ing for  troops  from  other  States,  and  that  for  many  months 
previous  to  Gen.  Lee's  surrender  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  had  been  almost  entirely  furnished  with  food 
from  North  Carolina. 

It  is  a  truth  questioned  by  none  that  no  troops  in  any 
corps  of  the  Confederate  Army  were  more  thoroughly 
equipped  and  provided  for  in  every  way  necessary  to  their 
efficiency  and  comfort,  both  as  to  arms,  food,  and  cloth- 
ing, than  were  the  soldiers  from  North  Carolina. 

For  their  helpless  wives  and  children  he  caused  to  be 
established  depots  of  provisions  for  their  subsistence,  and 
appointed  committees  to  see  that  they  were  not  neglected. 
With  him  it  was  a  labor  of  love  and  enthusiasm,  to  which 
he  gave  unceasing  personal  attention. 

He  was  devotedly  attached  to  the  Union  and  exerted 
himself  to  prevent  its  dissolution.  He  was  opposed  to 
secession  until  the  proclamation  of  President  Lincoln  call- 
ing for  troops  to  coerce  the  Southern  States  left  him  no 
choice.  The  destiny  of  North  Carolina  was  his  destiny. 
When  once  the  loyalty  of  North  Carolina  was  pledged  to 
her  sister  States  of  the  South,  his  loyalty  was  unalterably 
Hnked  with  hers. 


74  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

As  governor  of  the  State  he  manifested  an  especial 
pride  in  the  high  morale  of  North  Carolina  troops.  He 
made  many  visits  to  them. 

No  period  of  his  eventful  life  was  marked  by  an  inci- 
dent more  attractive  by  its  glamor  of  romance  and  patri- 
otic heroism  than  his  visit  to  the  North  Carolina  troops  in 
Lee's  army  in  March,  1864.  This  interesting  episode  in 
his  wonderful  career  has  been  often  alluded  to  and  was 
mentioned  in  an  address  delivered  by  Mr.  Woodward,  of 
North  Carolma,  in  this  House  when  he  paid  a  tribute  to 
his  memory  in  recognition  of  his  illustrious  services  to  his 
State  and  otur  Republic.  The  North  Carolina  troops 
whom  he  visited  comprised  13  brigades,  aggregating 
more  than  one-half  of  the  army.  They  were  encamped 
along  the  bank  of  the  Rapidan  River.  Gen.  Lee,  with 
members  of  his  staff,  captivated  by  the  eloquence  of 
Vance  and  the  lofty  sentiments  to  which  he  gave  ex- 
pression, accompanied  him  from  brigade  to  brigade. 
The  enthusiasm  of  the  soldiers  knew  no  bounds.  It  was 
the  prelude  to  the  campaign  which  soon  thereafter  com- 
menced, in  which  they  won  imperishable  renown.  His 
last  speech  was  made  at  a  general  review  of  Lee's  army 
near  Orange  Com-t  House.  It  was  ordered  by  that  great 
commander  as  a  special  compliment  to  V.^NCE,  an  honor 
bestowed  upon  none  other  in  all  its  history. 

No  orator  in  all  the  annals  of  time  ever  had  an  audience 
whose  presence  was  more  calculated  to  inspire  heroic  sen- 
timent and  high  resolve.  It  was  the  remnant  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Upon  its  banners  were  names 
which  will  long  live  during  the  ages  to  come — Manassas, 
Chancellorsville,  Sharpsbtng,  Fredericksburg,  Gettysbiu-g. 
The  greatest  commander  of  the  English-speaking  race 
was  beside  him.  Stonewall  Jackson  had  gone  to  his  final 
rest.  Pettigrew  had  joined  him  in  immortality.  But 
A.  P.  Hill  and  D.  H.  Hill,  Longstreet,  and  Ewell,  Early, 
and  Gordon  were  before  him.  They  forgot  the  fields  of 
their  glory  as  they  listened  to  him.     J.  E.  B.  Stuart  was 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  75 

there  and  never  so  happy,  unless  at  the  head  of  a  cavabry 
charge.  Hoke  of  North  Carolina,  who  had  established 
his  reputation  forever  as  one  of  the  foremost  of  all  the 
great  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War,  gazed  upon  him  with 
mingled  pride  and  affection. 

He  knew  him  and  loved  him.  M.  W.  Ransom — illus- 
trious in  war  and  in  peace — whose  fame  spans  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  and  whose  statue  should  stand  beside  that 
of  Vance,  shared  the  exultation  of  Hoke;  Pegram  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  Haskell  of  South  Carolina,  those  unrivaled 
artillery  officers  who  had  discarded  the  ancient  method  of 
artillery  fighting  and  carried  their  guns  to  the  front  line 
of  battle,  leaned  forward  to  catch  his  every  utterance. 
History  has  no  more  splendid  scene  to  record. 

Another  marked  feature  of  his  administration  was  the 
maintenance  of  the  supremacy  of  the  civil  authority  of 
the  State  against  the  military  power  of  the  Confederate 
Government,  although  he  had  equipped  and  sent  to  the 
field  from  North  Carolina  more  troops,  according  to  its 
military  population,  than  were  sent  from  any  other  State. 

He  issued  an  order  dated  the  26th  of  May,  1863,  com- 
manding the  militia  force  of  the  State  to  resist  the  arrest 
of  any  citizens  of  the  State  who  had  been  discharged  by 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  tried  by  any  judge  of  the  superior 
or  supreme  court  of  the  State. 

He  ever  kept  steadily  in  view  the  principles  of  liberty 
and  the  rights  of  its  citizens  as  interpreted  by  our  fathers. 
He  won  the  fight  and  achieved  for  North  Carolina  the 
honor  of  maintaining  the  privilege  of  the  great  writ  of 
liberty  in  the  midst  of  the  strife  of  millions  of  people.  A 
memorable  triumph,  which  came  to  no  other  State  either 
of  the  United  States  or  Confederate  States,  with  perhaps 
one  exception. 

Nor  will  posterity  forget  the  spirit  of  humanity  ever 
manifested  by  him  when,  as  governor  of  North  Carolina, 
he  rose  superior  to  every  environment  amidst  the  horrors 
of  war. 


76  Statue  of  Zebtiion  Baird  Vance 

His  efforts  to  relieve  the  necessities  of  the  Union  prison- 
ers held  in  the  military  prison  at  Sahsbury,  N.  C,  will 
attract  the  admiration  of  the  brave  and  generous  from 
every  civilized  land. 

Although  the  people  of  North  Carolina  were  making  a 
supreme  effort  to  provide  for  their  own  soldiers  and  their 
wives  and  children  left  at  home,  at  his  request  they  gave 
ungrudgingly  to  the  Federal  prisoners  a  portion  of  their 
provisions,  in  many  instances  depriving  themselves  of 
needed  comforts.     [Applause.] 

Union  soldiers  were  fed  from  the  homes  of  men  who  were 
sleeping  upon  the  fields  of  northern  Virginia,  following  the 
banner  of  Robert  E.  Lee. 

"When  the  full  truth  of  the  conditions  existing  in  the 
prison  at  Salisbury,  made  inevitable  by  the  Civil  War 
raging  at  the  time,  shall  be  known  to  the  world,  as  well 
as  the  unselfish  conduct  of  the  people  of  North  Carolina, 
prompted  in  their  labor  of  charity  and  humanity  by  the 
greatest  of  all  her  sons  in  that  era  of  heroic  names,  addi- 
tional luster  will  be  given  to  the  name  of  a  State  already 
illumined  by  the  achievements  of  her  children  on  the 
battle  field. 

The  ties  which  bind  together  every  section  of  our  coun- 
try will  be  made  stronger  and  more  enduring.  The  de- 
scendants of  both  Union  soldiers  and  Confederate  soldiers, 
as  they  rejoice  together  over  the  glory  of  our  rexmited 
coumtry,  will  rise  up  and  with  one  acclaim  bless  the  name 
of  Zebulon  B.  Vance,  of  North  Carolina. 

Early  in  life  he  was  intrusted  with  high  office.  He  was 
equal  to  any  responsibility  cast  upon  him.  He  possessed 
the  true  elements  of  greatness  which  ever  lead  to  lasting 
renown. 

Few  men  in  public  life  have  ever  filled  the  positions  of 
honor  and  trust  for  which  they  have  been  chosen  with  so 
much  credit  to  themselves  and  honor  to  those  whom  they 
represented. 


Address  of  Mr.  Stedman,  of  North  Carolina  77 


He  was  three  times  elected  governor  of  North  Carohna. 
twice  elected  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States,  and  four  times  elected  to  the  Senate  of  the 

United  States.  . 

He  was  one  of  the  greatest  debaters  who  ever  appeared 
upon  the  floor  of  that  body.  His  speeches  showed  pro- 
found thought,  patriotic  sentiment,  lofty  eloquence,  and 
rare  wit  They  attracted  the  attention  of  the  entire 
country.  He  commanded  the  respect,  admiration,  and 
affection  of  his  associates,  regardless  of  party  ties. 

The  attachment  of  all  classes  of  citizens  of  North  Caro- 
lina for  him  has  been  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of 

^^Unl^e  many  great  men,  he  never  experienced  the  fickle 
tenure  of  popular  applause  nor  the  ingratitude  of  those 
whom  he  had  both  served  and  honored. 

Unlike  Scipio  Africanus,  the  conqueror  of  Carthage,  who 
died  an  exile  from  home  and  whose  remains  rested  on  a 
foreign  shore,  he  was  buried  amidst  the  people  he  loved  so 
well  by  the  banks  of  the  French  Broad  River,  the  melody 
of  whose  rippling,  laughing  waters  gave  to  the  happy 
dreams  of  his  boyhood  that  joy  and  delight  which  neither 
eold  nor  place  nor  power  can  buy.     [Applause.] 

Unlike  Themistocles,  the  savior  of  Athens,  who  sought 
refuge  at  the  court  of  an  alien  kmg.  he  never  desired, 
sought,  or  needed  an  appeal  from  the  arbitrament  of  his 

own  countrymen.  ...  i 

To-day  his  memory  is  treasured  with  the  same  love 
which  went  out  to  him  when  in  the  full  meridian  and 

splendor  of  his  fame.  ^t.  •  ^• 

He  died  in  the  triumph  and  faith  of  the  Chnstian 
reUgion  and  left  a  name  without  blemish  and  without 
reproach-a  heritage  of  honor  to  his  descendants,  to  his 
State,  and  to  our  common  country.  ,  .  ^  c,    ^ 

May  the  high  and  patriotic  mission  for  which  Statuary 
HaU  was  designed  by  its  founders  be  fulfilled. 


78  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

Let  it  be  made  a  living  fountain  of  life  and  truth  for 
all  those  who  are  inspired  by  example. 

May  it  send  out  with  ever-increasing  volume  and  power 
a  stream  of  high,  pure,  lofty,  and  patriotic  thought  to 
bless  our  entire  land. 

May  the  lovers  of  innocent  pleasure  as  well  as  the 
lovers  of  truth  and  art  assemble  there  together — fair 
women  and  brave  men,  scholars  and  philosophers,  me- 
chanics and  lawyers,  farmers  and  statesmen  from  every 
section  of  the  Republic. 

May  they  realize  that  it  is  moral  grandeur  alone  which 
can  permanently  enchain  the  attention  of  mankind. 

They  will  not  fail  to  halt  their  steps  before  the  splendid 
image  of  the  illustrious  North  Carolinian.  They  will 
linger  long  over  the  entrancing  story  of  his  life.  His 
simple  habits,  his  absolute  scorn  fpr  the  vulgar  love  of 
money,  his  self-abnegation,  his  supreme  devotion  to  the 
welfare  and  glory  of  his  country  will  be  fastened  indelibly 
upon  their  minds.  They  will  carry  with  them  these 
thoughts  and  will  be  better  citizens  if  they  are  worthy 
to  stand  in  the  hall  where  heroes  sleep. 

Fortunate  is  the  nation  and  exalted  will  be  its  destiny 
which  can  furnish  to  the  world  such  a  model  for  emula- 
tion as  portrayed  in  the  character  and  life  of  Zebulon 
B.  Vance. 

His  name  and  fame  belong  not  to  North  Carolina  alone 
but  are  the  common  property  of  the  American  people, 
and  will  be  preserved  by  them  in  their  pristine  splendor 
when  the  bronze  statue  which  we  have  accepted  has  per- 
ished by  decay  and  crumbled  iato  dust.     [Loud  applause.] 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  BRITT,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  I  come  to  pay  tribute  to  one  with  whom 
I  did  not  politically  agree,  but  in  whose  life  and  character 
I  feel  a  pride  not  excelled  by  any  man,  here  or  elsewhere. 

Twenty -five  years  ago,  in  this  Capitol,  I  first  met 
ZEBUI.ON  Baird  Vance.  I  saw  him  occasionally  there- 
after imtil  his  death,  April  14,  1894.  He  impressed  me 
as  have  but  few  men.  He  was  strong  in  body,  towering 
in  intellect,  rich  in  humor,  and  eloquent  in  speech. 

In  my  district,  near  the  city  of  Asheville,  at  the  foot 
of  the  great  motmtain,  his  eyes  first  saw  the  light;  on  the 
slope  of  beautiful  Riverside,  overlooking  the  winding 
French  Broad,  his  cherished  dust  reposes,  and  from  the 
heart  of  Asheville  there  rises  a  granite  shaft,  tall  and 
majestic,  to  tell  to  the  passer-by  the  story  of  the  people's 
love  for  him,  while  hard  by  are  the  scenes  of  his  early 
struggles,  his  rising  hopes,  and  his  unfolding  aspirations. 
It  was  here  that  he  became  the  brilliant  lawyer,  the 
influential  State  legislator,  the  great  Representative  in 
Congress,  and  first  took  captive  the  hearts  of  the  people. 

He  came  of  a  powerful  lineage.     His  ancestors  were 

makers  of  history.     Through  the  sturdy  Irish  he  went 

back  to  the  hardy  Norman.     In   his  blood   there   were 

touches  of  many  noble  strains.     This  it  was  that  gave 

him  his  marvelous  versatility.     For  he  could  speak  with 

a  logic  that  convinced,  with  an  eloquence  that  charmed, 

and  with  a  statement  of  fact  that  left  no  denial.     And 

he  could   play  all   the   manifold   chords   of    the   human 

heart.     There  was  the  humor  that  provoked  an  vmcon- 

scious  smile,   the   joke   that  brought  peals  of  laughter, 

the  sarcasm  that  left  anger,  the  wit  that  sparkled,  and  the 

pathos  that  touched  the  fountain  of  tears. 

79 


8o  Statue  of  Zebvlon  Baird  Vance 

From  yonder  Senate  gallery  I  have  looked  down  upon 
him  engaged  in  gladiatorial  debate.  It  was  a  scene  not 
to  be  forgotten.  Like  a  great  master  he  held  the  stage. 
The  subject  was  war,  reconstruction,  or  the  tariff.  The 
Chamber  and  galleries  were  filled.  There  was  the  eager 
listening,  the  tense  look,  the  pervasive  interest.  Such  as 
could  agree,  shouted;  such  as  could  not,  admired.  His 
opponents  were  Allison  and  Ingalls,  Morton  and  Sherman, 
Hoar  and  Morrill.  And  they  were  giants  worthy  of  his 
steel.  Whether  a  blow  of  the  bludgeon,  a  tlirust  of  the 
rapier,  or  a  sweep  of  the  broadsword,  he  knew  when  and 
where  to  strike.  But  he  took  no  mean  advantage.  He 
fought  an  honorable  fight.  He  observed  the  rules  of  fair 
debate.  But  he  gave  no  quarter  and  asked  none.  He  was 
a  master  polemic .    Asa  speaker  he  has  rarely  been  excelled . 

He  possessed  the  great  quahties  of  popular  leadership. 
He  knew  the  way  to  the  hearts  of  the  people.  He  sounded 
their  depths,  interpreted  their  feelings,  took  their  part, 
and  sympathized  with  their  wants;  and  they  showered 
him  with  the  rich  plenitude  of  their  affection.  In  calling 
their  sons  by  his  name,  in  telling  again  his  stories,  they 
pay  their  unconscious  tribute  to  a  great  friend.  If  I  could 
bring  to  this  Capitol  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  my  section, 
the  generous  affections  of  those  who  followed  him  from 
childhood  to  greatness,  there  would  be  poured  out  at  yon- 
der bronzen  image  a  wealth  of  love,  deep  as  the  fountain  of 
the  human  heart  and  sweet  as  ever  embalmed  a  Pantheon 
shrine. 

The  great  and  distinguishing  quality  of  Vance's  char- 
acter was  his  superb  humanity.  He  was  intensely  human. 
He  was  only  a  man,  and  he  knew  it.  He  was  not  a  saint, 
and  did  not  affect  to  be.  To  him  this  was  a  plain,  work- 
aday world,  filled  with  good  and  bad,  joy  and  sorrow, 
hope  and  fear.  He  believed  in  the  essential  virtues. 
He  had  no  patience  with  shams  and  pretenses.  With 
him  life  was  an  open  book.  His  heart  was  always  open,  his 
words  frank,  and  his  manner  firm.     But  he  was  warm  and 


Address  of  Mr.  Britt,  of  North  Carolina  8i 

responsive.  His  handclasp  was  magnetic.  No  one  ever 
forgot  its  thrill.  His  voice  was  deep  and  rich  and  full 
of  charm.  His  stories  were  fresh,  original,  and  telling. 
His  humor  was  easy,  natural,  and  unstudied,  but  deUcious 
and  wholesome.  His  story  was  always  just  the  story  for 
that  time  and  place. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  day  the  news  of  his  death  came. 
I  was  at  a  distant  place  in  the  country.  The  news  had  in 
some  way  reached  the  community.  Two  plain  men  called 
to  tell  me  the  sad  intelligence.  One  of  them,  a  great  stout 
man,  broke  down  and  cried  like  a  child.  The  other,  with 
a  pale  face,  repeated  several  times  the  words,  "Our  great 
friend  is  gone."  You  see  how  he  had  swept  the  hearts  of 
the  plain  people.  He  was  of  them,  with  them,  and  al- 
ways for  them. 

We  do  not  understand  the  laws  that  fix  the  different 
orders  of  men.  Thinking  as  babes,  we  can  not  see  how  one 
man  can  be  so  far  above  or  below  another.  Children  of 
the  same  Father,  nourished  by  the  same  earth-mother, 
living  under  the  same  kindly  heavens,  our  statures  ought 
not  to  be  so  imequal.  Yet  it  is  not  so.  Like  the  stars,  we 
differ  one  from  another.  Some  of  us  come  and  go,  leaving 
no  trace  of  our  hurried  stay.  Others,  a  little  stronger  and 
a  trifle  wiser,  linger  for  a  while  only  to  go  and  be  forgotten. 
But  some  there  are  that  move  so  powerfully  among  the 
forces  of  the  world  and  the  affairs  of  men  that  they  abide 
through  the  generations.     Vance  is  one  of  these. 

His  name  is  an  institution  in  North  Carolina.  He  has 
touched  every  phase  of  our  life.  His  achievements  are  our 
inspiration.  We  trusted  him,  we  honored  him.  We  gave 
him  the  best  we  had.  He  was  a  county  attorney,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  general  assembly,  twice  a  Representative  in 
Congress,  a  captain  and  a  colonel  in  the  Confederate 
Army,  three  times  governor  of  the  State,  and  four  times  a 
United  States  Senator.  All  these  he  filled  with  the  high- 
est fidelity.  He  did  more  than  this.  He  led  the  people 
upward  and  onward. 

68551°— 17 6 


82  Statv£  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

He  impressed  upon  them  a  great  and  towering  per- 
sonality. He  quickened  their  lives,  steadied  their  course, 
and  guided  their  progress.  He  moved  them  by  moral 
force  and  intellectual  greatness.  Our  State  will  prob- 
ably not  again  see  his  like,  but  there  is  left  to  us  the 
priceless  example  of  his  great  life  and  character  and  the 
splendor  of  his  glorious  achievements. 

There  is  no  night ;  the  stars  go  down 

To  rise  upon  some  other  shore; 
And  bright  in  Heaven 's  jeweled  crown 

They  shine  forevermore. 

[Applause.] 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  DOUGHTON,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  Others,  by  reason  of  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance and  intimate  association  with  the  late  Senator  A^^ance, 
have  been  far  better  fitted  than  I  to  pay  tribute  to  his 
memory,  and  it  would  seem  that  all  that  can  be  said  now 
must  be  repetition.  But  the  beautiful  story  of  the  life  and 
character  of  North  Carolina's  most  beloved  son  and  his 
noble  and  unselfish  service  to  his  State  and  the  Nation  can 
not  be  told  too  often,  and  never  may  be  told  so  fully  as  his 
wonderful  career  justifies.  His  life  has  been  and  ever  will 
be  a  source  of  pride  and  inspiration  to  every  patriotic 
citizen  of  North  Carolina  and  a  favored  topic  around  the 
firesides  from  the  moimtains  to  the  sea.  Countless  will  be 
the  patriots  of  that  State  whose  hearts  will  swell  with  pride 
when  they  look  upon  this  statue  which  our  State  has  so 
appropriately  presented  to  our  country,  and  which  stands 
among  those  of  the  Nation's  great  men,  none  of  whom  was 
the  superior  of  our  Vance.  It  is  the  first  statue  of  a  North 
Carolinian  to  be  thus  placed  in  this  Hall  of  Fame  of  the 
National  Capitol,  and  it  represents  our  State  nobly,  for  he 
interpreted  and  exemplified  by  his  life  the  true  spirit, 
patriotism,  and  worth  of  our  people. 

When  a  great  man  dies,  one  whose  greatness  has  come 
through  genuine  servace  to  his  country,  the  Nation 
mourns  and  its  sorrow  is  deep  and  solemn.  But  there  is 
always  a  circle  where  this  sorrow  goes  far  beyond  the  deep 
and  solemn  sorrow  of  a  nation.  It  is  the  sorrow  that 
wrings  the  heart  and  brings  bitter  tears  from  those  who 
knew  him  as  he  was,  his  faults  as  well  as  his  virtues, 
those  who  feel  a  great  personal  loss  at  his  taking  away. 
From  the  number  of  people  who  thus  mourn  on  such  an 
occasion  we  may  judge  the  esteem  in  which  a  great  man 
is  held. 

When  on  the  14th  day  of  April,  1894,  Senator  Zebulon 
B.  Vance  breathed  his  last  in  Washington  City  and  the 

83 


84  Stattie  of  Zebidon  Baird  Vance 

sad  news  was  flashed  back  to  the  State  and  passed  sol- 
emnly from  town  to  town  and  from  home  to  home,  the 
sorrow  of  our  people  was  keener  and  more  general  than 
was  ever  evidenced  in  the  State  before.  In  many  places 
strong  men  wept  as  children,  unashamed,  and  as  the 
funeral  train  passed  through  the  State  on  its  way  to  liis 
mountain  home,  the  land  of  his  birth,  great  sorrow  was 
manifest  at  every  place  where  the  train  halted.  In  the 
towns  where  the  people  gathered  to  pay  tribute,  the  most 
eloquent  and  touching  that  have  yet  been  uttered,  such 
sorrow  was  evidenced  as  never  before  and  may  never  be 
again.  It  was  so  all  over  the  State,  for  he  was  known  and 
loved  by  a  greater  percentage  of  its  population  than  any 
other  man,  and  none  who  ever  saw  him  failed  to  remember 
and  admire  him,  for  his  masterful  personality  at  once 
grasped  and  forever  held  the  people. 

May  we  know  the  cause  of  this  universal  sorrow  ?  We 
can  account  for  the  solemn  sorrow  that  pervades  the  Na- 
tion when  such  a  man  is  called  away,  but  why  does  the 
stalwart,  brave-souled  veteran  who  has  faced  death  on 
many  battle  fields  weep  when  he  is  told  that  "  Zeb  Vance 
is  dead  "  ? 

If  we  can  answer  truly,  we  have  the  secret  of  the  great- 
ness of  this  truly  great  man.  Vance  had  rendered  to 
every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  liis  State  a  personal  serv- 
ice. Did  not  the  sturdy  hero  of  many  bloody  battles  know 
that  his  wife  and  little  children  had  been  kept  from  grim 
want  during  the  terrible  days  of  war  by  the  great  Gov. 
Vance?  Did  not  he  remember  that  when  he  was  held 
fast  in  the  relentless  grasp  of  that  awful  struggle  and 
suffering  agonies,  not  because  of  his  own  condition  or  the 
fear  of  death  but  because  a  dependent  wife  and  children 
whom  he  had  sworn  to  protect  were  starving  and  he  was 
helpless  to  prevent  it,  that  the  glad  news  came  to  camp 
that  Vance  had  found  a  way  to  feed  and  clothe  them? 
What  greater  service  could  one  render  under  such  cir- 
cumstances than  to  find  a  way  under  such  difficulties  to 


Address  of  Mr.  DoTighton,  of  North  Carolina         85 

perform  the  first  great  duty  of  a  father — to  keep  the  wolf 
from  the  door  ?  This  service  Vance  performed  for  every 
patriotic  son  of  North  Carolina  who  followed  Lee  and  Jack- 
son and  Johnston  and  brought  glory  to  southern  arms. 
Against  what  difficulties  this  service  was  performed  his- 
tory may  some  time  tell.  Thus  he  bound  the  people  to 
him  inseparably,  and  in  turn  they  loved  and  honored  him 
and  gave  him  prestige  and  power,  and  when  he  died  they 
knew  that  as  a  people  their  best  friend  was  gone. 

Ten  years  after  the  war  had  closed  Vance  was  again 
called  to  be  governor  of  his  State.  He  had  guided  its 
destinies  through  the  dark  and  stormy  night  of  a  terri- 
ble war,  and  by  his  unselfish  and  patriotic  devotion  to 
the  cause  of  the  people  had  made  his  name  famous  and 
his  memory  forever  cherished.  Now,  another  burden 
was  pressing  down  upon  his  people.  They  had  tried  for 
10  years  to  bear  this  burden  in  their  great  desire  for 
peace  and  righteousness  after  they  had  fought  so  val- 
iantly for  a  lost  cause,  but  their  patience  was  rewarded 
only  by  cruelty  and  oppression.  The  hand  of  the  tyrant 
was  clutching  at  their  throats  and  the  demon  of  anarchy 
was  entrenching  himself  around  their  homes.  The  proud 
head  of  southern  chivalry  was  bowed  low  before  the  un- 
earned power  of  a  horde  of  vampires,  the  slum  of  north- 
em  society,  that  had  swooped  down  on  the  vanquished 
South  like  vultures  following  the  trail  of  an  army. 
Heathen  ignorance  had  been  exalted  to  power  by  the  in- 
cidents of  war  and  was  incited  to  deeds  of  atrocity  too 
terrible  to  relate.  Thus  it  became  necessary  for  the 
South  to  fight  again,  to  fight  a  great  battle  of  peace. 
She  fought  and  won.  Though  she  had  been  crushed  in 
war,  she  could  bear  it  because  honors  won  would  com- 
pensate; but  now  it  seemed  she  would  forever  be  put  to 
shame  by  a  cruel  hand  that  could  feel  no  sympathy  for 
her  suffering.  The  germ  of  civilization  and  liberty  was 
smoldering  in  the  ruins  of  a  vanquished  land,  and  a  great 
spirit  must  come  to  fan  it  into  flame — a  flame  of  emanci- 


86  Statue  of  Zebtdon  Baird  Vance 

pation  of  the  dominant  race  of  the  South  and  of  the  world. 
A  great  victory  must  be  won,  not  with  sword  and  saber, 
not  in  the  spiUing  of  blood,  but  by  sheer  force  of  courage 
and  intelligence  directed  against  the  arrogant  power  of 
anarchy,  ignorance,  and  prejudice.  This  required  leader- 
ship, wisdom,  patience,  and  statesmanship  of  the  highest 
order.  Fortunately  such  men  still  lived  in  the  South, 
and  in  North  Carolina  Vance  heard  the  call  and  re- 
sponded. 

The  gubernatorial  campaign  of  1876  will  ever  be  re- 
membered as  a  vital  part  of  the  State's  history.  Vance 
was  opposed  by  Judge  Settle,  a  man  of  high  character 
and  exceptional  abihty,  but  lacking  in  the  traits  of  lead- 
ership that  characterized  his  opponent.  A  sweeping  joint 
campaign  was  made  of  the  entire  State,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  opposite  party  had  been  in  complete  control  of 
every  branch  of  both  the  National  and  State  Govern- 
ments since  the  war,  Vance  was  elected  by  a  large  ma- 
jority. Thus  his  people  called  him  to  render  the  second 
great  service  to  his  State,  to  emancipate  them  from  a 
political  bondage. 

Previous  to  this  he  had  been  elected  to  the  United 
States  Senate,  but  was  denied  his  seat,  though  he  was 
elected  again  in  1879  and  admitted.  His  career  as  a 
Senator  was  a  fitting  climax  to  his  great  services  to  his 
State  and  the  Nation.  He  at  once  took  rank  among 
the  foremost  orators  and  statesmen  of  the  time,  and  his 
work  was  marked  for  close  study  and  untiring  industry, 
which  undoubtedly  hastened  his  death.  His  last  gxeat 
speech  in  the  Senate,  delivered  during  the  famous  debate 
on  the  repeal  of  the  Sherman  law,  and  which  is  considered 
by  many  as  the  ablest  defense  of  bimetalism  ever  pre- 
sented, so  completely  exhausted  him  tliat  he  never  was 
able  to  enter  the  Senate  Chamber  again.  His  utterances 
were  classic,  and  he  was  authority  on  the  subjects  he 
investigated,  and  he  was  the  leader  of  his  party  in  tlie 
Senate  on  the  important  questions  of  the  tariff  and 
finance  for  several  years  prior  to  his  deatli. 


Address  of  Mr.  Doughton,  of  North  Carolina         87 

In  conclusion,  I  wish  to  speak  briefly  of  another  great 
service  Vance  rendered  to  the  country  at  this  time. 
When  he  entered  the  Senate  prejudice  was  still  rife  both 
in  the  North  and  in  the  South,  though  it  was  slowly 
waning.  But  it  was  evident  that  bitterness  and  mis- 
understanding must  obtain  for  generations  if  a  better 
tmderstanding  were  not  brought  about.  Even  though 
the  issues  had  been  settled  so  far  as  the  sword  can  settle 
issues,  there  remained  the  bitterness  of  sectional  feeling. 
Of  the  few  southern  men  of  the  day  who  were  able  to 
bring  to  the  North  the  true  spirit  of  the  South,  Zebulon  B. 
Vance,  of  North  Carolina,  and  Henry  W.  Grady,  of 
Georgia,  stand  out  as  shining  lights.  Grady  showed  the 
North  that  the  spirit  of  I^ee's  army,  which  they  had 
learned  to  respect  in  battle,  was  the  spirit  that  still  lived 
in  the  South,  and  that  when  these  brave  men  laid  down 
their  arms  to  Grant  at  Appomattox  the  war  was  forever 
over  so  far  as  the  true  South  was  concerned.  Vance 
by  his  good-natured  humor,  sound  logic,  and  magic 
personality,  and  abundant  knowledge  of  political  history 
showed  the  intelligent  audiences  of  New  York  and  Boston 
that  if  "secession  and  slavery"  were  crimes,  they  must- 
have  been  none  the  less  crimes  when  advocated  in  Hart- 
ford and  Boston — and  they  applauded  him  when  he  told 
them  these  things. 

Before  the  unanswerable  appeals  of  Vance  and  Grady 
the  wall  of  sectional  prejudice  melted  away  like  a  mist 
before  the  morning  sun,  and  they  were  glad  to  carry  a 
message  back  to  the  South,  for  they  saw  that  the  North 
and  the  South  would  soon  clasp  hands  over  the  graves 
of  the  noble  men  of  the  "Blue  and  the  Gray"  who  died 
that  we  as  a  Nation  might  live  and  imderstand. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  WEBB,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker  :  The  concurrent  resolution  now  before  this 
House  that  the  statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  which 
has  been  placed  in  Statuary  Hall  by  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  be  accepted  by  us  in  the  name  of  the  National 
Government,  and  that  the  thanks  of  Congress  be  tendered 
to  the  State  of  North  Carolina  for  her  contribution  to  this 
Hall  of  Fame,  will  be  adopted,  like  those  offered  on  the 
1 6th  day  of  April,  1894,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  without 
a  dissenting  voice. 

You  are  all  familiar  with  the  history  of  Statuary  Hall, 
and  how,  in  1869,  when  it  was  no  longer  needed  as  a  meet- 
ing place  for  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  account  of 
the  Capitol  having  been  enlarged  and  the  present  Hall, 
where  we  are  now  meeting,  provided,  it  was  set  apart  as  a 
sacred  spot,  hallowed  by  the  many  historical  events  that 
had  transpired  within  its  walls  during  the  eventful  years 
that  it  had  been  used  as  the  meeting  place  of  this  House, 
in  which  each  State  was  in\'ited  to  place  statues  in  marble 
or  bronze  of  not  exceeding  two  of  her  illustrious  deceased 
who  had  become  illustrious  on  account  of  their  heroic 
renown  or  because  of  distinguished  civil  or  military 
services. 

North  Carolina  has  had  many  illustrious  sons,  whose 
lives  and  characters  have  been  such  as  to  entitle  them  to 
stand  in  silent  but  impressive  marble  or  bronze  in  that 
historic  hall  as  the  mute  representatives  of  the  great  men 
of  that  State. 

The  delicate  task  of  choosing  from  such  a  long  list  of 
those  who  had  devoted  their  lives  to  the  service  of  their 
State  and  Nation  and  achieved  renown  at  home  and  abroad 
in  every  line  of  public  endeavor,  whether  in  peace  or  in 
war,  and  by  whose  wisdom  and  courage  our  civilization 
had  been  advanced,  may,  in  a  measure,  account  for  her 
88 


Address  of  Mr.  Webb,  of  North  Carolina  89 

tardiness  in  availing  herself  of  the  privilege  which  Con- 
gress had  accorded  her. 

But  the  matter  could  not  be  longer  put  off  and  the 
North  Carolina  General  Assembly  of  1 907  made  provision 
for  placing  a  statue  in  Statuary  Hall,  and  by  legislative 
enactment,  without  a  dissenting  vote,  wrote  into  the  law 
that  it  should  be  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance. 

Some  may  feel  inclined  to  apologize  for  so  long  a  delay  in 
providing  for  this  statue,  but  to  me  there  is  a  compen- 
sating assiirance  that  the  State,  in  keeping  with  its  tra- 
ditional conservatism,  has  acted  wisely.  It  is  a  more 
splendid  tribute  to  his  greatness  that,  13  years  after  his 
death,  a  succeeding  generation  should  have  spoken  through 
their  representatives  in  the  general  assembly  of  that  State 
with  one  voice  and  selected  him  as  the  one  to  be  thus 
honored. 

I  have  read  the  splendid  eulogies  which  were  delivered 
in  both  Houses  of  Congress  at  the  time  of  his  death  by 
those  with  whom  he  had  associated  in  his  public  duties. 
These  were  his  daily  companions,  who,  by  personal  con- 
tact, had  felt  the  warmth  of  his  genial  natiu^e  and  become 
bound  to  him  by  ties  of  affection.  They  might  have  been 
warped  in  their  judgment  by  the  sorrow  of  the  occasion 
and  blinded  to  his  faults  by  their  kindly  affection  for  him. 
During  these  22  years  his  life  work  has  been  measured  and 
has  stood  the  test  of  time.  The  judgment  rendered  on 
that  sad  occasion  has  met  the  tmanimous  approval  of  the 
people  of  his  State. 

I  feel  a  special  pride  in  his  selection,  and  in  the  splendid 
statue  that  has  been  presented  to  us  by  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  which  pride  the  people  of  the  district  I  have  the 
honor  to  represent  in  this  House  share  with  me,  on  account 
of  the  fact  that  Zebulon  Baird  Vance  lived  in  my  dis- 
trict, in  the  thriving  commercial  city  of  Charlotte,  N.  C, 
during  a  part  of  his  most  active  public  career. 

He  was  bom  in  Buncombe  County,  in  an  adjoining  dis- 
trict, the  13th  day  of  May,  1830,  in  the  midst  of  the  most 


go  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

beautiful  mountain  scenery  that  is  to  be  found  anywhere, 
surrounded  on  every  hand  by  the  lofty  mountain  peaks, 
indicative  of  strength,  stability,  and  grandeur  in  nature, 
and  close  by  the  crystal,  rippling  waters  of  the  French 
Broad  River  as  it  came  fresh  from  the  pure  mountain 
springs,  giving  out  nature's  lullaby  as  it  swiftly  found  its 
way  over  its  rocky  bottom  on  toward  the  sea. 

These  were  the  environments  which  nature  surrounded 
him  with  during  the  impressionable  days  of  his  youth. 
When  we  think  of  his  strong,  well-developed  physical 
form,  which  is  faithfully  portrayed  to  us  in  the  splendid 
bronze  statue  we  are  to-day  receiving,  and  of  the  manly 
traits  of  character,  softened  by  a  kindly  affection  and 
brotherly  love  for  his  fellow  man,  we  have  no  difficulty  in 
finding,  without  stopping  to  theorize  as  to  cause  and 
effect,  that  his  life  was  typical  of  his  early  natural  environ- 
ments. 

Unfortunately  for  me  on  this  occasion,  I  can  not  portray 
his  life  and  character  to  you  as  one  who  lived  in  close  con- 
tact and  with  intimate  personal  knowledge  of  his  active 
public  career  and  draw  upon  a  rich  store  of  personal  ex- 
periences and  reminiscences  to  impress  their  character- 
istics upon  you.  I  was  but  a  yoxmg  man  when  he  died 
and  only  knew  him  in  his  declining  years.  As  a  small  boy 
I  only  knew  him  as  a  small  boy  knows  his  people's  hero. 
I  saw  him  on  a  number  of  public  occasions,  and  his  per- 
sonality left  a  lasting  impression  upon  me.  When  he 
spoke  in  a  community  all  the  boys,  as  well  as  all  the  men, 
went  to  hear  him.  Everybody  honored  him,  loved  him, 
and  referred  to  him  as  Zeb  Vance. 

The  history  of  his  long,  brilliant,  and  useful  career  has 
been  ably  presented,  not  only  on  this  occasion,  but  also  on 
the  occasion  of  his  death,  by  those  who  lived  more  nearly 
in  his  time,  and  more  ably  than  I  could  do  it,  and  I  shall 
not  now  attempt  to  review  it. 

Beginning  with  the  year  he  completed  his  education,  he 
was  successfully  elected  county  attorney.  State  legislator, 


Address  of  Mr.  Webb,  of  North  Carolina  91 

Representative  in  the  Thirty-fifth  and  Thirty-sixth  Con- 
gresses, served  as  captain  and  colonel  in  the  Confederate 
Army,  governor  of  North  Carolina  for  three  terms,  elected 
to  the  United  States  Senate  in  1876,  but  denied  a  seat  for 
political  disabilities  growing  out  of  the  war;  again  elected 
United  States  Senator  in  1879,  and  succeeded  himself  in 
this  high  office  until  his  death,  in  1894.  These  are  the 
public  offices  which,  during  his  60  years  of  almost  con- 
tinuous public  life,  he  was  called  to  fill.  That  he  did  his 
duty  and  filled  each  worthily  is  proven  by  his  successive 
promotions.  A  grateful  people  knew  no  greater  honor  to 
bestow  upon  him. 

Vance  was  endowed  by  nature  with  the  traits  of  a  great 
leader.  He  was  able,  bold,  and  fearless;  had  a  high  con- 
ception of  duty;  was  a  diligent  student  of  public  ques- 
tions; and,  through  it  all,  had  an  abiding  faith  in  and  love 
for  his  fellow  man.  His  success  was  not  attained  by  any 
devious  route,  or  by  resort  to  the  methods  of  the  political 
trickster.  His  high  moral  character  and  love  of  truth  and 
honor  guided  him  in  a  straight  and  safe  course  through 
the  many  trying  events  of  his  life. 

But  many  men  might  possess  the  same  noble  charac- 
teristics without  ever  receiving  such  tmiversal  recogni- 
tion and  appreciation.  The  almost  unanimous  recognition 
of  his  greatness  in  his  own  State  may  have  been  due  in 
part  to  the  fact  that  he  lived  through  a  very  trying  period 
in  the  history  of  North  Carolina,  when  the  public  pulse 
of  the  State  was  throbbing  with  emotion  and  every  public 
service  recounted.  I  am,  however,  inclined  to  the  belief 
that  it  was  more  due  to  his  great  power  as  a  public 
speaker.  His  arguments  were  strong  and  well  fortified  by 
facts  and  illustrations  and  well  seasoned  by  timely  and 
well-pointed  anecdotes. 

His  adversaries  were  held  in  check  by  the  strength  of 
his  argument  and  routed  by  the  keenness  of  his  wit  and 
ridicule.  But  his  greatest  strength  lay  in  his  ability  to 
translate   his   arguments   and   present   his   facts   in   the 


92  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

language  that  was  easily  understood  by  his  hearers.  The 
most  unlettered  portion  of  his  audience  carried  home 
some  fact  which  he  had  embedded  there.  If  nothing  else, 
the  hearer  could  recount  some  well-pointed  joke  that 
Vance  had  told  which  illustrated  his  position  upon  some 
public  question. 

But  why  continue  to  speak  of  the  elements  of  his 
character  that  made  him  great?  Man's  effort  to  analyze 
a  truly  great  man  must  fall  far  short.  It  is  an  impossible 
task. 

Zebulon  Baird  Vance  is  great  in  the  minds  of  all 
North  Carolinians  and  worthy  of  the  prominent  place  his 
statue  occupies  in  Statuary  Hall,  not  because  of  his 
ability,  character,  his  power  to  sway  audiences,  his  love 
for  his  fellow  man,  nor  any  of  the  other  attributes  spoken 
of  by  me,  but  because  of  all  these  and  others  I  have  not 
mentioned  blended  into  one  and  translated  by  his  noble 
life  into  action  which,  guided  by  his  faith  in  God,  has 
resulted  in  good  to  his  fellow  man,  which  has  led  them 
into  a  higher  civilization  and  a  more  perfect  state. 

Measured  by  the  results  of  his  active  life,  he  is  great, 
and  we  but  honor  this  Nation  in  accepting  with  our 
thanks  this  statue,  well  done  by  an  eminent  artist  and 
presented  by  the  loving  hands  of  the  State  he  helped  to 
build  up. 

May  many  youths  of  this  generation  who  pause  and 
look  upon  this  statue  of  Vance  as  it  stands  in  Statuary 
Hall  be  inspired  by  his  noble  Life  to  emulate  his  example. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  GODWIN,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  It  is  fitting  that  we  should  pay  tribute  to 
the  cherished  memory  of  Senator  Zebulon  B.  Vance.  I 
shall  not  undertake  to  recite  the  full  record  of  his  life  and 
public  service. 

Senator  Vance  belonged  to  that  type  which  we  fondly 
term  "a  man  of  the  people."  To  the  American  mind 
this  phrase  is  richly  significant.  It  denotes  a  self-reliant 
man  of  courage  and  energy  who  by  native  ability  and 
application  has  carved  his  way  to  a  high  and  respected 
station  among  his  fellow  men.  All  who  knew  him  fully 
imderstand  that  these  qualities  were  exemplified  in  the 
earnest  and  industrious  life  of  North  Carolina's  greatest 
chieftain.  In  early  life  he  showed  that  he  was  destined 
to  become  a  leader  in  the  affairs  of  men.  His  habits  were 
industrious  and  his  disposition  was  genial,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence he  rapidly  gained  the  respect  and  love  of  all 
who  knew  him.  The  people  of  North  Carolina  displayed 
their  high  regard  for  his  ability  and  honesty  by  repeatedly 
electing  him  to  positions  of  high  honor  and  trust.  There 
was  a  mutual  confidence  and  cordiality  between  him  and 
his  constituents,  with  a  large  number  of  whom  he  en- 
joyed personal  and  intimate  acquaintance.  He  had  a  mag- 
netic openness  of  manner  which  easily  attracted  friends 
and  invited  men  to  salute  him  in  terms  of  easy  familiarity ; 
but  in  purpose  he  was  sincere  and  ardent,  and  as  he  pur- 
sued his  path  through  life  he  strove  always  to  show  kind- 
ness, to  bring  a  smile  to  the  face  of  sorrow,  and  to  create 
happiness  and  hope  among  those  where  formerly  there 
had  been  but  misery  and  dejection. 

To-day  he  lies  at  rest  among  the  people  whom  he  loved 
and  served  and  who  in  return  were  loving  and  loyal  to  him. 
By  them  his  memory  will  ever  be  kept  green  and  the  recol- 
lection of  his  splendid  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  will  ever 
be  enshrined  in  their  memories.  And  we,  his  colleagues, 
even  among  the  changing  conditions  of  this  busy  place, 
at  a  later  date  will  affectionately  remember  him  always. 

93 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  KITCHIN,  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Mr.  Speaker:  It  is  almost  a  holy,  yes,  a  holy  pleasure  to 
join  with  my  colleagues  on  this  occasion  in  paying  tribute 
to  North  Carolina's  most  illustrious  son. 

I  shall  not  detail  the  inspiring  story  of  the  career  of 
Zebulon  B.  Vance,  which  has  been  so  delightfully  told 
in  this  presence;  how  at  the  age  of  28,  overcoming  a  3,000 
majority  against  his  party  in  the  preceding  election,  he 
was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  mountain  district  by  a 
still  larger  majority;  how  he  entered  the  Confederate 
Army  in  May,  1861,  as  captain  and  within  three  months 
was  elected  colonel  of  the  famous  Twenty-sixth  North 
Carolina  Regiment;  how  the  people  of  the  State  in  1862, 
looking  about  to  find  the  best  fitted  man  to  guide  her 
destinies  through  the  gravest  crisis  of  her  life,  selected 
him  at  the  age  of  32  and  made  him  governor,  reelecting 
him  in  1864;  how  as  such  governor  he  made  the  splendid 
record  which  earned  for  him  the  title  of  "The  Great  War 
Governor  of  the  Confederacy";  how,  in  1876,  in  the 
expiring  days  of  reconstruction  he  redeemed  the  State  by 
again  being  elected  governor;  how,  though  once  refused 
admission,  he  was  four  times  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate,  finally  dying  in  the  service  of  the  State  and  Nation 
as  a  Member  of  that  body. 

I  shall  content  myself  by  adding  to  that  of  others  my 
estimate  of  him. 

Vance  was  North  Carolina's  finest  product.  Of  all  her 
distinguished  men,  living  and  dead,  he  stands  out  in  the 
admiration  and  esteem,  in  the  confidence  and  affection  of 
her  people  the  central  figure.  None  other  approaches 
him.  The  people  of  the  State  loved  him;  he  loved  them. 
Each  had  implicit  confidence  in  the  other.  Nor  did  either 
doubt  the  other. 

I  venture  the  opinion  that  no  public  man  in  any  State 
was  ever  as  much  beloved  by  his  people  as  Vance  was  by 

94 


Address  0}  Mr.  Kitchin,  of  North  Carolina  95 

the  people  of  North  CaroHna.  Almost  every  home  in  the 
State,  of  rich  and  poor  alike,  irrespective  of  political  affili- 
ations, has  upon  its  walls  the  pictiire  of  Vance.  Sons  to 
families  in  every  section  and  of  every  party  bear  his  name. 
His  statement  of  a  fact  was  to  the  people  of  North 
Carolina  complete  demonstration.  His  opinion  of  a  public 
measure  or  question  was  to  them  absolute  conclusion. 

His  public  life  more  nearly  represented  the  mind  and 
heart  of  North  Carolina  than  that  of  any  man,  living  or 
dead. 

Vance  possessed  the  elements  of  greatness,  the  quali- 
ties of  statesmanship.  He  was  a  big  man — big  in  body, 
in  mind,  in  heart.  He  was  United  States  Senator  for  17 
years,  from  1877  to  1894.  They  were  days  of  giants — 
days  of  statesmanship.  Among  his  compeers  in  the  Sen- 
ate were  men  like  Thinman,  of  Ohio;  Bayard,  of  Dela- 
ware; Beck,  of  Kentucky;  Vest,  of  Missouri;  Voorhees,  of 
Indiana;  Morgan,  of  Alabama;  George,  of  Mississippi; 
Daniel,  of  Virginia;  Ransom,  of  North  Carolina — Demo- 
crats; and  Edmunds,  of  Vermont;  Sherman,  of  Ohio;  Har- 
rison, of  Indiana;  Hoar,  of  Massachusetts;  Logan,  of 
Illinois;  Ingalls,  of  Kansas;  Quay,  of  Pennsylvania- 
Republicans. 

In  ability,  in  wisdom,  in  patriotism,  in  coinage — in  all 
the  elements  of  statesmanship — these  men  were  never  sm^- 
passed  by  men  in  any  tribunal  of  the  world.  They  were 
giants.  Vance  was  the  equal  of  the  biggest  and  the  best. 
He  stood  in  the  forefront  of  this  splendid  galaxy. 

His  was  a  captivating,  commanding,  majestic  presence, 
and  to  it  everyone,  the  lowest  as  well  as  the  highest,  ever 
had  a  welcome,  and  in  it  all  felt  at  home. 

He  drew  all  men  to  him.  His  personality  was  over- 
whelming. His  presence  was  sunshine,  his  voice  music. 
He  cheered  and  charmed,  he  entertained  and  instructed 
all  about  him. 

He  was  without  guile.  He  never  schemed.  He  never 
held  whispered,  closed-door  conferences  of  political  machi- 
nations.    He  built  up  no  political  machine.     He  had  no 


gS  Statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

personal  organization.  He  had  no  special  friends  in  this 
or  that  county  to  "look  out  for  his  interest."  He  had 
no  political  favorites.  The  people  were  all  for  him  and 
with  him,  and  he  was  for  and  with  and  of  all  the  people. 
Sycophants  and  courtiers  did  not  swarm  about  him. 
They  knew  he  had  no  special  favors  to  bestow.  His  big, 
open,  manly  nature  intuitively  repelled  them. 

He  was  the  incarnation  of  candor,  sincerity,  truth, 
courage,  kindliness. 

He  had  no  enemies.  No  public  man  ever  had  fewer 
critics.  In  the  days  of  bitterest  partisanship  in  our  State 
no  candidate  or  member  of  the  opposite  party  ever  de- 
famed Vance.     His  motive  was  never  impunged. 

His  wit  and  humor,  in  which  he  excelled  all  public  men, 
were  irresistible.  But  his  speeches  and  debates  were  full 
of  logical,  analytical  argument  and  wide  research.  On 
account  of  his  abounding  wit  some  thought  that  he  was 
not  given  to  study  and  investigation.  The  contrary  is  the 
fact.  No  public  man  was  a  more  diligent  and  profound 
student.  His  discussion  of  any  question  furnished  the 
fullest  evidence  of  this.  He  was  master  of  every  subject 
he  touched.  He  captured  and  controlled  every  audience 
he  faced. 

Dead  now  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  mention  of 
his  name  anywhere  in  the  State  is  still  the  rallying  inspi- 
ration of  all  that  is  good  and  brave  and  true  in  her  citi- 
zenship. 

In  life  and  in  death  he  was,  he  is.  North  Carolina's 
largest  asset. 

Long,  long  will  be  the  time  before  another  Zeb  Vance 
will  be  raised  up  for  the  State. 

God  bless  the  minds  and  hearts  of  her  people  with  his 
memory  forever. 

Mr.  Speaker,  I  forbear  to  conclude  without  expressing 
great  pleasure  in  hearing  my  distinguished  colleague,  Maj. 
Stedman,  express  the  hope,  which  I,  together  with  thou- 
sands of  her  citizens,   have  long  entertained,   that  our 


Address  of  Mr.  Kitchin,  oj  North  Carolina  97 

State  will  place  in  Statuary  Hall  beside  that  of  Vance 
the  statue  of  Matt  W.  Ransom. 

Ransom  is  full  worthy  a  place  in  this  Hall  of  Fame. 
Renowned  as  a  soldier,  an  orator,  a  diplomat,  a  statesman, 
he  reflected  the  greatness  and  the  glory  of  his  State  and 
added  fresh  luster  to  her  fame  in  every  position  of  trust 
and  honor  he  held  during  a  public  life  of  nearly  40  years. 
For  1 7  years  he  and  Vance  were  colleagues  in  the  United 
States  Senate. 

No  State  was  ever  represented  in  that  august  body 
with  more  marked  ability,  wisdom,  patriotism,  loyalty, 
courage  than  was  North  Carolina  when  Ransom  and 
Vance  were  her  Senators. 

If  our  State  should  place  Ransom  by  the  side  of  Vance 
in  Statuary  Hall,  and  if  bronze  or  marble  could  portray 
the  imposing  appearance,  the  commanding  presence,  the 
charming  and  inspiring  coimtenance  of  these  two  men,  as 
in  life  they  looked,  the  tens  of  thousands  that  yearly  visit 
this  Capitol  would  seek  them  out  and  linger  long  in  admi- 
ration and  homage  about  them. 

North  Carolina  would  with  exulting  pride  match  them 
with  the  hall-famed  favorites  of  any  State. 


Mr.  Kitchin.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  ask  imanimous  consent 
that  any  Member  of  the  House  shall  have  the  right  to  ex- 
tend his  remarks  in  the  Record  on  the  subject  for  an  in- 
definite time . 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  Is  there  objection  to  the 
request  of  the  gentleman  from  North  Carolina  ? 

There  was  no  objection. 

Mr.  Kitchin.  I  ask  unanimous  consent,  Mr.  Speaker, 
for  the  adoption  of  the  resolution  which  has  been  re- 
ported at  the  desk. 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  The  question  is  on  agreeing 
to  the  Senate  concurrent  resolution. 

The  question  was  taken,  and  the  Senate  concurrent 
resolution  was  agreed  to. 

60551°— 17 7 


98  Statue  of  Mr.  Zebulon  Baird  Vance 

Mr.  KiTCHiN.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  ex- 
actly in  order  at  the  present  time,  but  I  ask  unanimous 
consent  for  the  passage  of  the  resolution  for  printing.  It 
will  have  to  be  passed  at  some  time  this  session,  and  we 
may  as  well  consider  and  pass  it  now. 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  The  Clerk  will  report  the 
resolution. 

The  Clerk  read  as  follows : 

Concurrent  resolution  (S.  Con.  Res.  25)  to  authorize  the  printing  of  the 
proceedings  in  Congress  and  in  Statuary  Hall  relative  to  unveiling  of  the 
statue  of  Zebulon  Baird  Vance,  and  so  forth. 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  (tlw  House  of  Representatives  concurring).  That  there 
be  printed  and  bound,  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Print- 
ing, the  proceedings  in  Congress,  together  with  the  proceedings  at  the  un- 
veiling in  Statuary  Hall,  upon  the  acceptance  of  the  statue  of  Zebulon 
Bajrd  Vance  presented  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  16,500  copies,  with 
suitable  illustration,  of  which  5,000  shall  be  for  the  use  of  the  Senate  and 
10,000  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  remaining  1,500 
copies  shall  be  for  the  use  and  distribution  of  the  Senators  and  Representa- 
tives in  Congress  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 

Mr.  KiTCHiN.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  ask  unanimous  consent 
for  the  discharge  of  the  Committee  on  Printing,  and  ask 
that  the  resolution  be  considered  now. 

The  Speaker  pro  tempore.  The  gentleman  from  North 
Carolina  asks  unanimous  consent  that  the  Committee  on 
Printing  be  discharged  from  fiu-ther  consideration  of  the 
resolution  just  read,  and  that  the  resolution  be  consid- 
ered now.     Is  there  objection? 

There  was  no  objection. 

Mr.  KiTCHiN.  I  move  the  adoption  of  the  concurrent 
resolution,  Mr.  Speaker. 

The  Senate  concurrent  resolution  was  agreed  to. 


ii 


i 


